Plans under way for updates to Pend Oreille District schools

Every vote counts. Bonner County residents learned that lesson on May 20 when, for the second time in three years, a plant and facilities levy for improvements in the Lake Pend Oreille School District went before voters.

In order to pass, the levy required a 55 percent plus one voter approval. When the final votes were tallied, the amount in favor of the levy totaled 55.9 percent, passing by a mere 40 votes.

The last time a plant and facilities levy passed in this school district was 1987. So why did it pass this time and not in the past? According to levy supporters, it was a combination of factors, but primarily community involvement.

“A lot of people felt strongly about the needs (of the schools) and chose to be involved in getting this levy passed,” said Wendy Dunn, chairperson of the Citizens for Better Schools Committee. “Also, there was great leadership from Dick (Cvitanich, superintendent of Lake Pend Oreille School District) and the school board. The board was very diligent when looking at the cost to the public and balancing that with the needs of each school.”

Cvitanich said he feels a significant difference this time was the number of people involved on the volunteer side.

“We had a wider base of community people volunteering their time,” said Cvitanich. “I think we were also able to demonstrate to the community that the need was real.”

Now that the levy has passed, the planning process is under way.

“We are very excited to begin this work,” said Cvitanich, who adds that the first step is the bid process followed by looking at issues such as asbestos removal, roofing needs, bleachers replacement and replacement of heating and controls systems. “Addressing the health and safety needs is a priority.”

According to Cvitanich, the District will open bids after July 1.

But it is not just the district employees who are anxious to have work begin on the buildings, many families are as well. One of those families, the Scrimshers of Sandpoint, knows all too well that a building filled with asbestos or mold can be a detriment to a child’s learning.

When Brian and Tamara Scrimsher’s daughter, Darbey, was in second grade at one of the Sandpoint elementary schools, she began to experience headaches and became very lethargic while in school. Strangely, her symptoms subsided when she left the classroom.

“We took her to the doctor who said her symptoms were consistent with allergies,” said Tamara. “Then the doctor told us that the school was known to have mold.” After Darbey started to take allergy mediation, her symptoms significantly improved.

After addressing many of the health and safety issues, the district will then focus on the additions to Kootenai and Sagle Elementary Schools as well as installing another modular classroom at Washington Elementary. By adding more space, district officials say the overcrowding they have recently dealt with will be alleviated.

In a town where property values have risen significantly in the past few years, an increase in property taxes is a concern for many, especially those on a fixed income. For the owner of a home with a net taxable value of $100,000, the levy will increase the homeowner’s taxes by $129 the first year and $123 the second year. Net taxable value is the value after deducting the homeowner’s exemption of $100,938 for 2008.

But while economic times are difficult, there are many who find that the money spent on the schools is money well-spent.

“It may seem like mold isn’t extremely dangerous or life-threatening,” said Tamara Scrimsher, “but why should a child have to be medicated to be sent to school?”