Fort Bragg School District residents will likely be asked to pay a property tax of $17 per $100,000 in assessed value to raise about $16 million to finish the modernization process for school buildings.
School trustees last week heard a report that said local voters understand and support the schools” needs in numbers high enough for the bond to pass.
A survey of 362 potential voters revealed 60.5 percent would support a tax of $25 per $100,000 in assessed value, reported Abel J. Guillen of the consulting firm Caldwell Flores Winters.
Superintendent Steve Lund indicated he would return to the board next month with a recommendation that a tax of up to $17 per $100,000 be placed on the June ballot.
The district passed Measure D in 2003, which paid for upgrading of the middle school and other district facilities.
In November 2003, a tax of up to $50 per $100,000 in assessed value won a 66 percent yes vote from district voters. That tax actually has never gone as high as $50, but may do so this year, said Guillen.
The $22 million raised by that bond authorization has been used to restore Fort Bragg Middle School and other facilities. Now, more money is needed for the modernization of Fort Bragg High School and Dana Gray Elementary School.
The survey revealed an interesting dichotomy. Prospective voters don”t have a grasp of where school moneys come from, often confusing the issue with city and county funding, Guillen said.
But those same voters were very tuned into the on-campus needs for the upgrades and into rising construction costs over the past five years that raised the overall costs of modernizing.
“People (also) understand the sense of equity with all the other schools that have been modernized,” said Guillen.
The work at Fort Bragg High and Dana Gray Elementary will include replacing leaky roofs and outdated heating and plumbing systems. The retrofit would feature installation of solar photovoltaic systems as part of a plan to install more efficient energy systems that will save the district general fund hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs.
To get approval of the bond issue by people surveyed, an oversight committee was once again promised, along with annual audits and a pledge that no money be spent on administrative salaries.
Survey highlights
Caldwell Flores Winters has done similar surveys for hundreds of California school districts and conducted a similar survey in Fort Bragg five years ago.
Guillen said the district has built a relationship of trust with the community during that time. Those surveyed had an overall positive view of the district”s direction, contrasting with their negative view of the state”s direction.
The highest rating was for Fort Bragg teachers, who scored a 90 percent approval rating, Guillen reported.
Improvements to athletic facilities, such as tennis courts and the high school stadium didn”t get the magic 55 percent approval rating from those surveyed. To Guillen, that revealed how different Fort Bragg is from other communities surveyed.
In one Central Valley community, a new football stadium was the rallying cry that was used to pass a bond that “also” built a new school.
Here on the coast, the sports facilities upgrades will likely be stricken from the bond-funding plan.
Something that was very popular was a plan for major energy projects, featuring solar panels that will help create $275,000 in savings.
“That was a bigger seller,” said Guillen.
Trustee DeeLynn Carpenter was happy to hear that those surveyed understood why the district would need more money.
“I was concerned about a little backlash, You just got $22 million, why do you get another $16 million?”” said Carpenter.
When asked by the board if those surveyed understood and accepted the escalation in costs that has happened over the past five years, Guillen responded in the affirmative.
“Absolutely. It was very surprising to see the level of support,” Guillen said.
He said support actually jumped the second time around and the district doesn”t appear to be hurt by any stigma over asking for money for the second time.
“[That can be attributed] to the trust factor the district has been able to build with the community,” said Guillen.
This reporter was one of those surveyed. The process took more than 15 minutes and seemed to have the dual purpose of educating and asking.
Rosalie Gjerde was the only person in the audience to comment, saying the survey took much too long and might have been a bit too complex.
“As someone who has been attending board meetings since the Johnson Administration, I found it hard to follow at times,” said Gjerde.
The margin of error in the survey was 5 percent.
The time period of the assessment and exact amounts of the bond will be determined when trustees make their final decision, expected at next month”s regular board meeting.
