Consider the conversation about addressing Sequim school facility needs started — or rather, resurrected.

Sequim schools superintendent Rob Clark told a group of school staff and advocates last week that the time is right to look at synthesizing what Sequim school buildings need most.

“What do we want to do? What do we want to pay? When do we want it to be done?” Clark asked rhetorically to a group of about 50 at the Sequim High School library on Feb. 20.

“Tonight’s the night to begin the conversation to prioritize the needs of our facilities.”

Clark, who in previous meetings indicated he’d like to see a levy or bond measure put to Sequim voters on the November 2020 ballot, reviewed Sequim’s recent bond efforts, had building principals offer insights into their buildings’ specific needs and took comments and questions from the gathered audience gathered.

The forum was a first step, he said, in framing a priority of projects to upgrade facilities at each of Sequim’s campuses.

“None of us, me included, are going to get everything we want (but) every part of the district has to get something,” Clark said.

“We have to come to a consensus.”

Clark said he wanted to see the result of Port Angeles’ $52.6 million capital project levy on the Feb. 11 special election ballot — it passed with 54.4 percent of ballots cast — before beginning talks about Sequim’s facility needs.

Bonds vs. levies

He talked about the significant differences of capital project levies and bonds. If approved, capital project levies can be collected for up to six years. These levies need just 50 percent (plus one) votes to pass, but the money to be collected doesn’t come in right away, meaning projects are either delayed or districts borrow funds.

The Sequim School District’s most recent voter-approved project was a capital levy to renovate and expand the district kitchen in February 2017 — it passed with more than 67 percent of ballots cast.

“It came in on time and under budget,” Clark said of the kitchen remodel. “I can’t take credit — I wasn’t here — (but) the school district has done a good job.”

Bonds, on the other hand, can be spaced out up to 40 years, though most are set at 20 years, Clark said.

“You’ve got to pay a lot of interest (with a bond) — it’s no different than a mortgage on your house,” he said. “But once the bonds are sold, you can get it done right away.”

Sequim school advocates have tried to pass bonds in recent years, and each of the district’s most recent four school bond attempts failed to meet the 60 percent supermajority needed. They included an April 2014 proposal for $154.3 million that drew just 44.6 percent approval, followed by proposals in February 2015 ($49.3 million, 59.6 percent yes votes), November 2015 ($49.3 million, 57.6 percent) and February 2016 ($54 million, 57.3 percent).

Generally, Clark said, about 40 percent of people in a given community will vote for a school issue while about 30 percent will vote no on a tax issue. To pass a school measure, school advocates would have to consider how to convince a portion of the remaining 30 percent to help pass either a levy or bond.

Clark noted that most school bond proposals throughout Washington state struggled in the Feb. 11 election: of 21 bond proposals, just eight met the 60 percent supermajority benchmark. However, 38 of the 42 school captial project levies on the Feb. 11 ballot passed.

There is some state school construction funding available for Sequim, Clark noted; an exact figure would be dependent on state funding. He said last week that with major modernization or a new school in the proposal, a measure could see up to 15-25 percent in matching state funds, but that he didn’t have an exact figure.

Individual school needs

Becky Stanton, principal at Helen Haller Elementary School, said the facility that was built in 1972 has multiple, significant facility needs. Among them are an increase in electrical capacity and plumbing.

“Our lead custodian gets calls multiple times a day (for plumbing issues),” Stanton said. “We only have two bathrooms for rive kindergarten classes. “Kids should be able to go to the bathroom — that’s pretty basic.”

Greywolf Elementary School principal Donna Hudson advocated for her school to expand its gymnasium and library. The school was built to house 400 students, Hudson noted, but now has 594 students.

She also said the roof would likely need to be replaced soon.

“It’s a 30-year roof and it’s 30 years old,” Hudson said.

Greywolf will likely hook up to the new Carlsborg sewer system, Clark noted at the meeting, likely within the next 12 to 18 months.. The project will cost between $250,000-$500,000, he said.

“We will have to put that on a bond or levy; we do not have the money to pay that in the general fund,” Clark said.

Shawn Langston said he couldn’t boil his school’s needs down to a few, both others noted that SHS students continue to walk across West Fir Street to get to and from band and choir classes.

“When we watch what the band has to do to have a concert, that’s a bit much,” Clark said.

Vince Riccobene, administrator for the district’s Olympic Peninsula Academy (OPA), said each of the academy’s classrooms are in portables that have no running water — meaning no sinks or bathrooms — along with issues regarding building break-ins.

“I would say plumbing is a big priority for OPA,” Riccobene said.

“The bigger question … is, are these portables the future for OPA?”

Mark Harris, principal at Sequim Middle School, said that when his family moved to the area he thought the middle school was brand new (it was built in 1998).

“We don’t nearly have the problems other schools have,” he said, but noted the school has some roof leaks and could use an upgrade of its bathrooms.

District-wide, many of Sequim’s school buildings are facing information technology (IT) infrastructure issues, district director of technology Beau Young said.

In addition, Clark noted, the district’s athletic facilities and auditorium building — “both of which are focal points of our district,” he said — could use upgrades.

Possibilities

Community member Vicky Blakesley said her notes from previous Sequim School District bond drives indicate safety and technology were of high priority on voters’ lists, while extra curricular activities such as athletics and music were relatively low.

Annette Hanson, a former school district employee, said she’d like to see a two-story elementary school, potentially placed on the same plot of land that housed the Sequim Community School/old elementary school. Streets surrounding the piece of property could be vacated for district use, she said, and the district could use the current Helen Haller facility for community programs.

Robin Henrickson, a former Sequim School Board director, asked about the possibility of restructuring the schools to split into K-2 and grades 3-5.

Clark said he worked in two school districts in which something similar was proposed and carried out.

“That doesn’t mean it’ll work in Sequim,” he said, noting in the other districts there was consensus among parents and school leaders to make the change.

Clark said comments from the meeting and an upcoming online survey will be compiled as the district looks to form a levy or bond proposal.

For more about the Sequim School District, call 360-582-3260 see www.sequimschools.org.