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| Chauncey Davis Elementary School |
The capital budget bill SSB 5086, prepared by Sen. Jim Honeyford (R-Sunnyside) and Sen. David Frockt (D-Seattle), also appropriates budget for both Mt. Adams School District and Lopez Island School District construction projects. The capital budget bill passed unanimously today 49-0.
Talks from last Fall
In October, 2016 I contacted 19th Legislative District members Senator Dean Takko (D-Longview), and Rep. Brian Blake (D-Aberdeen), in an effort to update them on the status of our almost 70 year old elementary school in South Bend. In less than 3 hours, I had a response from Sen. Takko wanting to help, where he offered to talk with the Capital Budget committee to see if there were possibilities to help our situation. Sure enough, Brian Blake followed in response, willing to assist. Sen. Takko began working with Sen. Honeyford (and others) to come up with a solution for South Bend. Rep. Blake began his work in the House. Rep. Walsh was brought up to speed and began working on our behalf after his election in November.
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| L-R: Sen. Dean Takko, Rep. Jim Walsh, Rep. Brian Blake |
Substitute Senate Bill 5453
In January, Senators Honeyford and Frockt submitted SB 5453 (establishing construction grants for rural school districts). Essentially, this bill would allow access to the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) for small, rural schools having trouble passing a school construction bond, or who have such low assessed property levels they cannot levy the dollars needed to build a school--precisely South Bend's problem.
After learning about this bill in the Senate, I immediately contacted Jim Walsh and Brian Blake, asking them if they would sponsor a companion bill in the House. Again, very eager to help, both Rep. Walsh and Blake (along with Rep. Steve Kirby (D-Tacoma) submitted HB 1923--an exact clone of SB 5453 in the Senate. Both bills advanced in their respective chambers, where SSB 5453 ultimately passed the Senate. Today, the bill passed the House Capital Budget committee and awaits House floor action.
South Bend's need
Chauncey Davis Elementary was constructed in the early 1950's. The building has been well taken care of for almost seven decades, but age is having its toll. In addition to being below the floodplain (last flooded in 2015), the building is not up to seismic code and sits in a tsunami inundation zone. All major infrastructure systems are below standard.
Normally, school districts needing to replace school buildings must pass a capital bond to pay for the construction. Combined with state construction match funds, schools who pass a bond measure by 60% or higher are able to replace buildings. South Bend last passed a bond to remodel the junior-senior high school with a 74% YES vote around 2006. Today, however, South Bend does not have the debt capacity to raise enough bond dollars to build a new elementary school. State law prohibits districts from taking on debt greater than 5% of total assessed property values. Of the approximate $16 million dollars needed to build a new elementary school, South Bend could raise just over half that amount and remain within State law.
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| South Bend School Campus |
If SSB 5453 becomes State law, school districts in our position could be eligible to apply for additional construction grants that could cover the gap between what voters can legally raise in a bond measure and the total cost of a construction project. Without these extra funds, districts like South Bend have no legal way to build a new school.
Senate proposed Capital Budget
Everything involved in developing the small school construction grant program under SSB 5453 and HB 1923 has moved better than expected, and will help small school districts if it becomes law. Sen. Takko and Reps. Walsh and Blake have gone above and beyond to help us--as I knew they would.
But they weren't done...
On February 16, I testified at the Senate Ways & Means committee about the importance of the school construction bill. The next day, I emailed Senator Honeyford giving him additional information about why our district and community have a genuine need for State help in replacing our elementary school. A month later to the day on March 16, I received word from Sen. Takko that he had been working with Senator Honeyford to include South Bend school district with an appropriation to help build us a new elementary school. This week, Dean Takko's help paid off, as South Bend was listed as one of three schools in the State proposed to receive this support.
The great thing about our 19th legislative district, is that our legislators work together. After learning of the proposed Senate funding, both Jim Walsh and Brian Blake continued their support in promoting our need in the House. Because Rep. Walsh sits on the House Capital Budget committee, he has been in regular contact with me to offer assistance and support. Brian Blake and his staff have also made important contacts and worked with other legislators to bring light to our situation. It is certainly nice to have confidence in your legislators.
How the appropriation would work
As mentioned above, the current Senate proposal slates $7.7 million dollars specifically for South Bend. If this language survives the legislative process and is signed into law by the Governor, these funds would be directed to the costs needed to build us a new elementary school. It is estimated we would also receive close to $4 million from SCAP (school construction assistance program). Of the approximate total construction costs of $16 million, South Bend voters would be left raising the balance--about $4.9 million.
The district has formed a new facility committee and engaged an architectural firm earlier this month. In late April/May, the facility committee will meet with the architect to begin pre-planning. If the budget appropriation becomes final, our school board will need to consider a special construction bond for early 2018. If all went well, and our voters passed a bond, construction would begin before the end of the next biennium, by July 2019.
Again, all of this is only proposed at this point. A lot can happen during the legislative process, and nothing is guaranteed until the Governor signs the budget. After that, our voters would need to pass a bond authorizing the remaining balance to be raised. All of this said, South Bend is in a much better position than before...
Please thank our legislators
None of these developments would be possible, nor would they have occurred, without the valuable help of Dean Takko, Jim Walsh, and Brian Blake. We are truly fortunate to have these gentlemen representing the 19th District, the Willapa Harbor, and our city of South Bend. I encourage you to drop each of them a line of support and thanks. Legislative contact information can be found here: http://app.leg.wa.gov/memberemail/
I will update the community as issues progress. Stay tuned!
For information about this article or anything related to South Bend School District, please contact Superintendent Jon Tienhaara at jtienhaa@southbendschools.org
