We are a citizens’ committee urging voters to say “Yes” to the school bond and levy in the upcoming General Election.

We are pleased that the school board has listened to the community and split needed improvements into TWO initiatives. The first is a bond. The bond will address critical health/safety upgrades that were included in the February bond (i.e. repairs to the HVAC and plumbing in the high school). It also adds improvements deemed essential by the community: the paving of the HS parking lot and a thorough renovation of the “Old Gym.” The community was clear it did not want to see another “phase” of critical school improvements. These will address needs well into the future. The total price of the bond is about $10.8 million to be paid over 20 years at a cost of about 29 cents per $1000 valuation.

Removed from this bond is rehabilitation on the fields, and preparation for a new track. That work is addressed in the second initiative: a levy. The district’s fields are in desperate need of repair. This levy will cover the cost of fixing them. It will also pay for prep work to a new track. The track will be paid for by a gift from Phyllis Henigson as a way to honor her late husband Bob. Bob also left an endowment to the school district. Payout from that endowment will be used to maintain the track. Track, or no track, the fields need to be rebuilt. The total price of the levy to pay for the field renovation is about $1.6 million to be paid over six years at a cost of about $.11 per $1000 assessed value.

We welcome the opportunity to provide more information. For more information about the bond and levy, visit www.orcasislandschoolsbondandlevy.com

Randy Gaylord, Pamela Wright, Janet Brownell, Patricia Slabaugh, Diane Boerstler, Blythe Simpson, Cathy Ferran, Eric Webb, John Fleming, Miriam Ziegler, Hilary Canty, Susan Stoltz, Kathy Morris

Orcas Island