Board To Hold Hearing For New Building

Not raising taxes is normally a popular idea.

But some residents are suspicious of a Coeur d’Alene School District plan to construct a support services building without asking voters for more money.

Tonight, the school board will accept comments on the proposal. The 7 p.m. hearing is part of a 6:30 p.m. board meeting at the district office, 311 N. 10th St.

The combination storage facility, bus depot, maintenance center and administration office would cost $1.4 million.

Dave Teater, the district’s financial officer, says the $88,000 annual bond payments could be made from savings provided by the new building. For example, food and school supplies could be purchased in cheaper bulk amounts if only the district had a place to store them.

Even critics agree that the building is needed. But they fear the district is trying to do an end run around voters by instead going to a judge for approval of the project.

Under Idaho law, a district can become indebted without a public vote if a judge declares the expense to be “ordinary and necessary.”

Tonight’s hearing is part of that “judicial validation” process.

The school board could decide at the end of the hearing to proceed with the next step, which is filing its request with the court. Or it could wait two weeks, until the next board meeting, to decide.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: HEARING The school board meets today at 6:30 p.m. at the district office, 311 N. 10th St.