New school bonds mulled

October 25 2005

JOEL DAVIDSON\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Two weeks after Mat-Su voters rejected bond proposals for three new elementary schools, the Mat-Su School Board revised its top goals for new building construction pro-jects.

On Oct. 4, Valley residents voted down $39 million in bond debt proposals to build elementary schools in the South Trunk Road, Settlers Bay and South Palmer areas.

On Wednesday, the board removed the South Trunk Road school from its top three capital improvement projects and replaced it with a new roof for Su Valley Jr./Sr. High School, which is now the board's top priority.

Settlers Bay and Trunk Road-area schools remained in the top three, meaning they could be on future bond proposals, possibly this spring or next fall.

Chief School Administrator Bob Doyle said removing

one elementary school

from the top three was

necessary because of the rising cost of new school construction.

The state's agreement to re-imburse the Mat-Su Borough up to 60 or 70 percent of

fall would be the latest opportunity voters could take advantage of the offer before it expires.

With the rising cost of construction, Doyle said new elementary schools will likely cost closer to $17 million by the time they are constructed, if bonds are approved in the spring or next fall. Two elementary schools and a $5 million roof add up to the $39 million.

Doyle told board members they need to decide if they want to talk to the Mat-Su Borough Assembly about a spring bond proposition or wait until next fall. With 800 new students in the district this year, school officials are concerned that delaying new school construction will increase class sizes and further crowd Mat-Su schools.

&#8220Those are the next two opportunities that you would have before this legislation expires,” he said Wednesday.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266, or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.