The Edmonds School Board Tuesday held a brief community forum aimed at explaining how funds from a proposed $180 million capital levy in late April would provide much-needed school district building upgrades, address capacity challenges and improve existing facilities.

In January, the district announced it would be seeking voter approval of a proposed capital levy during the April 27 special election. If approved, the levy would provide $30 million per year for six years to replace Spruce and Oak Heights elementary schools, maintain existing school buildings and athletic fields, and make district-wide accessibility improvements.

Prior to the presentation, district spokesperson Harmony Weinberg explained that the state does not provide adequate funding for capital facilities. Instead, districts are allowed to ask for local assistance via voter-approved levies and bonds. Weinberg then stressed that the district was not making frivolous requests and that the needs were dire.

“These are specific needs…in our buildings,” she said.

After two years of analyzing its facilities, the district determined that $1.7 billion was needed for capital projects across the district. The district in February 2020 submitted a $600 million capital bond to voters that failed.

In summer 2020, the school board directed staff to review the needed improvements, costs and impacts on taxpayers. District leaders decided in fall 2020 to prioritize replacement of the aging Spruce and Oak Heights elementary schools — both well beyond their lifespan, Weinberg said.

“Our students are coming back into our buildings,” she said. “Many of them are back now (and) more of them are coming back in the next few weeks.”

Weinberg pointed out that the longer the district waits to make the improvements, the more it will cost. She also said small issues can turn into major — and more expensive — problems. According to Weinberg, necessary improvements included a roof replacement at College Place Elementary School, as the current one is more than 20 years old, and replacing the boiler at Cedar Way Elementary School, which is the same one installed when the school was built in the 1950s.

Other improvements include replacing the boiler and its 30-year-old heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) system at Mountlake Terrace High School. The levy would also cover replacing fire alarm panels, sprinkler systems, fencing, gates and signage and other accessibility improvements at facilities districtwide.

“That could be something like an automatic door opener to one of our buildings to help those who need that access,” Weinberg said.

Another key point Weinberg highlighted during the forum was the need to offer more space in elementary schools to address capacity issues. 

“Capacity at our schools is a challenge in our district,” she said. “Our elementary schools are at 107% capacity.”

According to Weinberg, overcrowding will likely continue with future population growth and student enrollment. To address these issues, some schools use portable classrooms called “relocatables.” Currently, there are 44 relocatables across the district, eight of which are used at Oak Heights Elementary. If the levy is approved and a new school is built at Oak Heights, the relocatables could be used at other schools, Weinberg said.

“The idea of them being called ‘relocatables’ is so we can move them around to where the biggest need is of capacity in the district,” she said.

Another example of how the district plans address capacity issues through the levy would be adding new covered play areas to some elementary schools, which could be used as an extension of a gym or cafeteria during lunch. 

One project the district is looking to complete with the levy proposal is the second phase of Spruce Elementary School. Work at Spruce Elementary’s campus was split into two phases, with Phase 1 completed in July 2019.

Once finished, Spruce Elementary’s replacement facility will be approximately 81,000 square feet with a two-story main classroom building and a one-story gymnasium and common area. Under Phase 2 construction, a new north wing of the replacement facility will be added, including a two-story main classroom building, multiple integrated learning support and small group rooms, a new library and an outdoor project area.

“If approved by voters on April 27, we would be able to get going right away on Phase 2,” Weinberg said.

As for Oak Heights Elementary, Weinberg said the building is beyond repair and it would make sense to rebuild. According to Weinberg, the school has one of the largest student populations in the district and rebuilding would allow for a greater capacity and redesign for modern ways of learning.

“Replacing schools is actually more financially (responsible) because it’s more cost effective to replace it than to just fix it,” Weinberg said.

While drafting the proposal, Weinberg said district leaders were focused on keeping costs low for taxpayers. If approved, taxpayers would pay $3.36 per $1,000 of assessed property value. 

Since 2019, the taxpayers have seen a steady decline in the amount levied against property values. In 2019, taxpayers paid $3.76 per $1,000 of assessed value, and that dropped to $3.71 in 2020.

Currently, the tax rate is set at $2.81 per $1,000 of assessed value because the 2020 bond failed to pass and the district recently paid off previous outstanding bonds. If the new measure passes, Weinberg said taxpayers would see a rate increase from this year, but it will still be lower than past years.

A Q&A was scheduled after the presentation; however, no questions were submitted.

For more information about the 2021 Capital Levy, visit the district’s website.

–By Cody Sexton