Vashon High School (VHS) is a dismal collection of aging buildings, ranging from 35 to 70 years old. Classrooms are under-sized and often too hot or cold. Wiring, plumbing and heating systems are antiquated. Several teachers are without their own classrooms. Some classes occur in rooms without desks. Sports teams’ practices run from 5:30 AM until 10:00 PM because of excessive demand on the gymnasium.

This proposal takes a long-term approach, keeping the best buildings, while adding a new classroom facility. Ten percent of the funds are for athletics, meeting the needs of hundreds of students and community members with a much-needed extra gym, as well as an upgraded track and field that will save $20,000 annually in upkeep.

VHS is in dire need of replacement. The only question is when and at what cost. Even a one year delay decreases our purchasing power by about $5 million. Because construction costs are low in the current economy, this is a very good time to build.

The result will be classrooms more conducive to learning, updated technology, more funding for preventive maintenance and teachers with their own workspaces. An updated high school will be energy efficient and less expensive to maintain.

The Vashon School District has under funded the maintenance of the schools for years. As a consequence, the high school is in disrepair. So rather than spend a little money on routine maintenance, the district is now asking the taxpayers to pay over $50,000,000 just to fix the problem. Then the plan changed from repair to a slew of extras: new high school classrooms, another gym, added parking, relocating tennis courts, synthetic turf, a new grandstand, fixing the theatre and more. So the initial $50,000,000 has now grown to $75,550,000.

The School District’s position is that the capital levy rate will increase by only 21%. However, their calculations fail to take into account increased house values over the past 13 years. Using actual current house values the rate increase will be closer to 100%. A taxpayer owning a house assessed at $500,000 will pay $955 for the capital levy along with $515 for Maintenance and Operation for a total of $1,470.

Our school enrollment has been decreasing. The economy has affected many families. Our Island is losing young families with children. This is not the time to ask the community to pay for a full wish list. Let’s be reasonable.
 

After years of planning and extensive community input, this com-prehensive plan retains 80% of the VHS campus. It is cost effective, energy efficient and is the best long-term value. It supports preventive, not reactive, maintenance. It supports teachers and student learning. It supports community use and athletics. VHS enrollment remains stable. The estimated 2010 tax increase above the twelve year average tax rate for capital needs is 33¢/1000 or $165 for a $500,000 home.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Jean Bosch
 

School structures last for years with regular maintenance. It is cheaper and more ecological, to modernize systems as needed rather than replace whole buildings. One-third ($25million) of this bond is for the proposed extras. This larger footprint will increase our overall maintenance costs.

Vote NO Now! Tell the District to come back to us with clear choices on a new ballot, so we can differentiate needs from wants and see what we can realistically afford.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Hilary Emmer
 

RESOLUTION NO. 611

RESOLUTION of the Board of Directors of Vashon Island School District No. 402, King County, Washington, providing for the form of the ballot proposition and specifying certain other details concerning submission to the electors of the district at an election on March 10,2009, of a proposition for the issuance of its general obligation bonds in the aggregate principal amount of $75,550,000, for the purpose of providing funds to construct, equip, renovate and make certain capital improvements to the facilities of the District and authorizing the Superintendent 'and/or Business Manager to submit a request for eligibility for the Washington State School District Credit Enhancement Program.

WHEREAS, improven1ents to school facilities are needed in Vashon Island School District No. 402, King County, Washington (the "District"), in order to provide the students of the District with adequate, proper and safe educational facilities; and

WHEREAS, in order to provide part of the funds to enable the District to construct, equip, renovate and make such necessary capital improvements to its facilities, it is deemed necessary and advisable that the District issue and sell its unlimited tax levy general obligation bonds in the principal amount $75,550,000

WHEREAS, the Constitution and laws of the State of Washington (including RCW 28A.530.010 and RCW 84.52.056) provide that the question of whether or not such Bonds may be issued and sold for such purposes and taxes levied to pay such Bonds must be submitted to the qualified electors of the District for their ratification or rejection; and

WHEREAS, RCW 39.98 (the "Credit Enhancement the State Legislature established a credit enhancement program (the "Program") for voter-approved school district general obligation bonds; and

WHEREAS, Section 39.98.040 of the Credit Enhancement Act authorizes the state treasurer to make a determination that a school district is eligible for participation in the Program if the state treasurer determines that the district is eligible under rules adopted by the state finance committee; and

WHEREAS, the District may elect to participate in the Program upon an administrative determination that it is cost-effective;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF Vashon Island SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.402, KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON, as follows:

Section 1. Findings. This Board of Directors (the "Board") hereby finds and declares that the best interest of the students and other inhabitants of the District require the District to carry out the plans hereinafter provided at the time or times and in the order deemed most necessary and advisable by the Board.

Section 2. Capital Improvements. The District shall n1alce the following capital improvements (the "Improvements"):

• Construct and equip a new classroom building at Vashon Island High School,
• Modernize Building A at Vashon High School and repurpose it for vocational training, expanded theater use, and other programs,
• Continue the District's technology modernization plan including equipment, staff, and training,
• Replace/upgrade ventilation, data and telecommunications systems at McMurray
Middle School and Chautauqua Elementary School,
• Demolish Buildings B, C, E, K and G at Vashon Island High School,
• Demolish the former District Administration Building and surplus the technology building and facilities trailer,
• Improve safety and access for pedestrians and vehicles at Vashon Island High School,
• Renovate and repurpose Building F as a District Administrative Office at Vashon Island High School,
•Renovate and modernize the Gym Building at Vashon Island High School, including making the locker rooms and wrestling room accessible for people disabilities, adding locker rooms, and adding a maintenance facility,
• Upgrade the Vashon Island High School stadium by installing synthetic turf and a running track that meets current standards, and by making the existing grandstand structurally sound and accessible for people with disabilities, and
• Construct an auxiliary gym at Vashon Island High School,

The cost of all necessary architectural, engineering, and other consulting services, inspection and testing, administrative and relocation expenses, on and off-site utilities, site acquisition, related improvements and other costs incurred in connection with the making of the foregoing capital Improvements shall be deemed a part of the costs of such Improvements. Such Improvements shall be completed with all necessary furniture, equipment and appurtenances.

If available funds are sufficient from the proceeds of Bonds authorized for the above purposes, state or local circumstances require, District shall use such funds to pay the principal of or interest on the bonds or acquire, construct, equip and make other capital improvements to the facilities of the District, all as the Board of Directors may determine, after holding a public hearing thereon pursuant to RCW 28A.530.020.

The Board shall determine the application of available money as between the various Improvements set forth above so as to accomplish, as nearly as may be, all of the Improvements described or provided for this section. The District shall determine exact extent and specifications for construction of the structures or other improvements.

If the Board shall determine that it has become impractical to accomplish any of such Improvements or portions thereof by reason of state or local circumstances, including changed conditions, incompatible development or costs substantially in excess of those estimated, the District shall not be required to accomplish such Improvements and may apply the Bond proceeds or any portion thereof to other portions of the Improvements, to other capital improvements, or to payment of principal of or interest on the Bonds, as the Board may determine after holding a public hearing thereon pursuant to RCW 28A.530.020.

In the event that the proceeds of sale of the Bonds, plus any other money of the District legally available, are insufficient to accomplish all of the· Improvements provided by this section, the District shall use the available funds for paying the cost of those Improvements for which the Bonds were approved deemed by the Board most necessary and in the best interest of the District.

It is anticipated that the District will receive funds from the State of Washington pursuant to Chapter 28A.525 RCW in the estimated amount of $1,900,000. The District intends to apply such funds to completion of Improvements. Such funds may also be applied to pay the principal of or interest on the Bonds or to make other capital improvements to the facilities of the District as the Board may determine after holding a public hearing thereon pursuant to RCW 28A.530.020.

Section 3. Authorization of Bonds. For the purpose of providing part of the funds necessary to pay the cost of the Improvements and/or to reimburse the District for such costs, to the extent that District funds have been used for such purposes, together with incidental costs and costs related to the sale and issuance of the Bonds, the District shall issue and sell its unlimited tax levy general obligation bonds in the principal amount of not to exceed $75,550,000. The balance of the cost of such Improvements shall be paid out of any money which the District now has or may later have on hand which are legally available for such purposes, including mitigation fees, and out of possible state or federal grants of money. None of the Bond proceeds shall be used for the replacement of equipment or for anything other than a capital purpose. Such Bonds shall be issued in an amount not exceeding the amount approved by the qualified electors of the District as required by the Constitution and laws of the State of Washington or exceeding the amount permitted by the Constitution and laws of the State of Washington.

Section 4. Details of Bonds. The Bonds shall be sold in such amounts and at such time or times as deemed necessary and advisable by the Board and as permitted by law, shall bear interest at a rate or rates not to exceed the maximum rate permitted by law at the time the Bonds are sold, and shall mature in such amounts and at such times within a maximum term of 20 years from date of issue, but may mature at an earlier date or dates, as authorized by the Board and as provided by law. The Bonds shall be general obligations of the District and, unless paid from other sources, both principal thereof and interest thereon shall be payable out of al1nllal tax levies to be made upon all the taxable property within the District without limitation as to rate or amount and in excess of any constitutional or statutory tax limitations. The exact date, form, terms and maturities of the Bonds shall be as hereafter fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. After voter approval of the bond proposition and in anticipation of the issuance of the Bonds, the District may issue short term obligations as authorized and provided by Chapter 39.50 RCW. The proceeds of such Bonds may be used to redeem and retire short term obligations or to reimburse the District for expenditures previously made for such Improvements.

Section 5. Election. It is hereby found and declared that the best interest of the District requires the submission to the qualified electors of the District of the proposition of whether the District shall issue the Bonds at a special election to be held on March 10, 2009. The County Manager of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections in King County, Washington, is hereby requested to call and conduct the special election to be held within the District and to submit to the qualified electors of the District the proposition set forth below. The Secretary of the Board is hereby authorized and directed to certify the proposition in the following form:

PROPOSITION NO.1
VASHON ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS - $75,550,000

The Board of Directors of Vashon Island School District #402 adopted Resolution #611 concerning this proposition for bonds. This proposition authorizes the District to construct a new High School classroom building, renovate other buildings, install synthetic turf and a new track, construct a secondary gym, upgrade ventilation and technology systems at McMurray Middle and Chautauqua Elementary Schools, and make other capital improvements, issue $75,550,000 of obligation bonds maturing within a maximum term of 20 years, and levy additional property taxes annually to repay the bonds, as described detail in Resolution #611.
Should this proposition be:

APPROVED?
REJECTED?

The Secretary of the Board of Directors is hereby authorized to deliver a certified copy of this resolution to the King County Manager of Records and Elections.

Section 6. Request for Eligibility for the Credit Enhancement Program. In preparation for the issuance and sale of the Bonds after approval by the voters, the Board of Directors hereby requests that the State Treasurer issue a certificate of eligibility in favor of the District for participation by the District in the Program with respect to the Bonds. The Superintendent and/or Business Manager are hereby authorized (following voter approval) to submit such applications, resolutions and certifications as shall be required by the State Treasurer in reviewing the District's request for participation.

Section 7. Severability. In the event that any provision of this resolution shall be held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect or invalidate any other provision of this resolution or the Bonds, but they shall be construed and enforced as if such invalid provision had not been contained herein; provided, however, that any provision which shall for any reason be held by reason of its extent to be invalid shall be deemed to be in effect to the extent permitted by law.
Section 8. Effective Date. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.

ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of Vashon Island School District No. 402, King County, Washington, at a regular meeting held this 11th day of December, 2008.
 

VASHON ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 402,
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

60% yes vote and a minimum turnout of 2,903 voters (Wash. Const. art. VII, sec. 2(b)).