Bond Approval Would Mean Improvements To Schools

A district planning committee has recommended that the Mead School Board ask district voters to approve a $25 million bond issue in March.

The bond would accompany a measure for the district’s regular two-year replacement operating levy.

The bond would be used primarily to upgrade 25-year-old Mead High School.

If approved, the bond would result in a tax increase to property owners of approximately 61 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, according to Al Swanson, district superintendent of finance. That’s $61 for a house worth $100,000.

The district’s citizens planning committee recently submitted its recommendations to the school board. The recommendations are the result of a yearlong study by the 18-member committee.

The school board will hold a special meeting on the proposal on next Thursday at 6 p.m. in the west cafeteria of Mead High School. The board will invite public comment on the recommendations and take final action.

The committee has recommended that the district proceed with plans to modernize Mead and make improvements to middle and elementary schools in the district.

In addition to potential bond money, the district would use approximately $9 million in reserves from its capital projects fund. Some of that money came from money saved during construction of the new Mt. Spokane High School, Swanson said.

Another $9.5 million in state matching funds would be available for the high school modernization if the bond passes.

After 1998, the matching funds would be reduced by $3.7 million, which is one of the key reasons why the committee has recommended March as the month of the bond vote, Swanson said.

The committee studied a review of engineering and staff reports on building deficiencies, enrollment projections, comments from community workshops and tours of all the schools, Swanson said.

The committee outlined physical deficiencies of Mead High School and said modernizing it is the district’s greatest need.

Mead would essentially be rebuilt and reconfigured from the inside. Exterior improvements would be made as well.

The committee idenitified the following problems at Mead High School:

The electrical system is unable to support student computer needs.

The heating and air conditioning system is outdated and subject to frequent outages.

The roof leaks.

Ceiling parts are no longer available.

Plumbing fixtures, kitchen equipment and carpet are wearing out.

Many smoke and fire systems don’t meet today’s requirements.

Academic areas need extensive remodeling to support current curriculum Many classrooms have temporary room dividers causing noise problems.

Science rooms are substandard with limited preparation space.

Specialty classroom areas in art, business education, drama and home economics are obsolete.

Auditorium, counseling and conference space is inadequate for current use.

Food service facilities are inadequate.

Traffic congestion is a safety hazard.

Handicap access is inadequate.

Here is what the committee has recommended for improvements to other schools in the district:

Modernization of Colbert Elementary and an office addition.

Replacement of some portable classrooms at various schools, which have yet to be selected.

Multipurpose rooms and gyms at Brentwood, Colbert, Evergreen and Farwell.

Roofing replacements at Colbert, Farwell, Midway and Shiloh Hills elementary schools and Mead Middle School.

Carpet replacements at Midway and Shiloh Hills.

Intercom replacements at Farwell and Northwood.

Emergency lighting improvements at Colbert, Farwell, Midway, Shiloh Hills, Mead Middle School and Northwood.

Traffic safety and parking improvements at Farwell, Midway, Shiloh Hills, Mead Middle and Northwood.

Playground flooding correction at Evergreen.

Electrical upgrade improvements at Mead Middle and Northwood.

Band and physical education acoustic improvements at Northwood.

Transportation and maintenance building improvements (fire alarm, electrical, roof and toilets) at all schools.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SPECIAL MEETING Mead School District’s board will hold a special meeting to discuss a $25 bond issue it hopes to put before voters in March. The meeting, next Thursday at 6 p.m. in the west cafeteria of Mead High School, will include public comment on the recommendations.