Bond levy set at $18.186 million

The number is now exact and ironclad.

The La Grande School Board decided Wednesday that it will ask voters to approve a bond levy of $18.186 million in November for maintenance and construction. The size of the bond is about the amount the school board has been seriously discussing for about a month. A precise total had not been set prior to Wednesday’s meeting.

The $18.186 million bond levy would cost property owners about $1.37 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This means the owner of a $100,000 home would pay $137 a year in increased property taxes.

The board voted 7-0 in support of the bond Wednesday.

“I feel good about the bond. It does not have everything everyone wanted but it would make our schools safer and provide the kinds of things the community said it wants,’’ said board Chairman Merle Comfort. “It would fulfill the majority of the needs we have today.’’

The bond would promote safety and security by paying for things such as roof repairs, upgraded fire alarms and improved handicapped accessibility. The bond would also pay for the addition of eight classrooms at Island City Elementary and five at the middle school.

The new classrooms would provide space the district expects to need to accommodate enrollment growth and allow it to discontinue using all seven of the modulars now serving as classrooms.

Board member Keith Walker said voter approval of the bond would allow the district to concentrate more on educating children.

“Let’s get the bond passed so we can spend less time (focusing) on where we are educating our kids and more on how,’’ Walker said.

The board member said he was encouraged by how many faculty and staff from the district came to a July 16 hearing on the bond and expressed support for it. Walker said strong support from faculty and staff is critical for passage of the bond.

Several people at the July 16 hearing, none of whom are with the district, asked that the district spend money to reopen Willow Elementary School, which was closed in 2006. No money is in the bond for Willow.

La Grande Superintendent Larry Glaze said this morning the board will soon begin an in-depth study of its full range of options regarding Willow. The board will consult the district’s attorney regarding legal issues involving leasing, selling or using Willow for district purposes outside of educating students.

Willow, built in 1924, was closed in 2006 because of financial problems.

The school board will meet Aug. 13 to adopt a resolution for the $18.186 million bond. The resolution will include the language that will appear on the ballot. Once the resolution is approved, the bond levy will be submitted to the Union County clerk’s office.

The district must submit the bond levy to the county clerk by Sept. 4 to meet the deadline for the Nov. 4 election.