By Noel Smith
The Scotts Valley Community Center was filled Wednesday evening April 30, with parents, kids, city and Scotts Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) officials and community leaders to kick off the “Yes on Measure A” campaign. After two prior attempts to get voters to approve funding for a whole shopping list of capital improvements in the district, the Measure A ballot initiative requires approval of 55% of voters within the school district and concentrates on replacing the 73-year-old Scotts Valley Middle School. The election takes place on June 3rd, 2014.
Patrizia Matarossi shows support for Measure A
The Measure A campaign slogan is, “Scotts Valley has changed a lot in 73 years – Our Middle School hasn’t”
According to Measure A proponent Derek Timm, “Thousands of students have walked the halls of our nationally-recognized middle school since 1941, but 73 years of use has brought its buildings to the end of their life span.
A devastating combination of leaking roofs, structural problems, dry rot, failing sewer/plumbing lines, outdated wiring and inadequate educational infrastructure facilities can no longer be ignored. Unfortunately, the State of California does not provide funding for school construction or modernization, so it’s up to us to get this done.”
According to the SVUSD, Measure A will cost property owners an estimated $35 million with 94% of the funds going to replacing the Middle School. The remaining 6% will qualify for State matching funds to install earthquake and fire safety retrofits and handicap accessibility requirements at the district’s two elementary schools, Brook Knoll and Vine Hill.
Property owners are estimated to pay $57 per $100,000 of assessed valuation however, Measure A tax payments will be fully deductible on both federal and state income taxes. The bonds sold to provide Measure A funding are planned to have a 25-year duration.
State law limits the expenses covered by Measure A to facility construction and repair, including architectural, engineering, and planning costs, furniture, equipment, and the costs for construction project management. Measure A funds cannot be used for school programs, curriculum, school staff or administrator salaries, benefits or pensions.
Superintendent Penny Weaver said, “If enacted by the community, Measure A will replace Scotts Valley Middle School with a new, safe, healthy learning environment with up-to-date computer/learning technology, science labs and classrooms that meet 21st Century learning standards, and which are accessible to students and teachers with disabilities. Vine Hill, Brook Knoll, Middle School and High School all have award-winning, nationally recognized programs. This excellence is a big part of why Scotts Valley is such a special place to live because when our schools succeed, we all succeed.”
SVUSD Superintendent Penny Weaver & Sharlene Ransom, Principal of Brook Knoll Elementary School.
According to a list of improvements, Measure A would fund up-to-date computer/learning technology, science labs, code-compliant/energy-efficient electrical, plumbing, heating/cooling systems; upgrade, construct, acquire classrooms, schools, facilities, sites/equipment that meet accessibility requirements and make needed seismic repairs at elementary schools, that qualify for State matching funds.
An engineering assessment of the middle school facility revealed that repairs would not be cost effective. It was recommended to replace the school with new buildings that comply with current building and fire safety codes, are capable of integrating modern technology, have greatly improved energy and water use efficiency, and comply with mandated accessibility requirements for students and staff with disabilities.
Mayor Jim Reed said, “Good schools benefit everyone and a good education leads to greater opportunity for children as they grow, leading to more successful adults. Scotts Valley has seen the benefit of good schools in the form of lower crime rates, and 98% of the students graduating and 97% going on to college.”
According to district officials, where the students will be located during construction is dependent on the final site layout. If the new school buildings are to be located where the current playing field and parking lot is located, continued use of the existing school buildings for classes while this construction occurs may be possible. If, however, it is decided to locate the new buildings in the same location as the old, portable classrooms could be installed on the current fields and/or parking areas.
Measure A proponents say that if Measure A passes, the planning phase is estimated to require 12 – 18 months and will include community meetings to discuss such issues as site layout, traffic circulation, neighborhood impacts, building design and features, student housing during construction, project management, etc. The completed plans must then be submitted to and approved by the state. Construction activities are expected to last 12 – 18 months some of which can be in parallel with the approval process. The hope is that students will be able to occupy the rebuilt campus even while final touches are being applied in the fall of 2017.
Monitoring this whole process will be a Citizens Oversight Committee. As Measure A is a Proposition 39 bond, the board must appoint this committee within 60 days of election results. The committee must consist of at least seven members, with representation from local business, senior citizens, taxpayer organizations, parent-teacher organizations, and parents.
Employees and officials of the district may not serve. The school district must order annual performance and financial audits of the bond funds, and provide these audits to the oversight committee. The committee’s job is to ensure that bond funds are spent only as proposed in the ballot resolution with none going to school district salaries or operating expenses and it must issue annual reports to the public.