Modesto bonds would first upgrade eight older schools. The cost may surprise you
Board members of Modesto City Schools are finding out that $131 million in bond funds won’t stretch that far in making repairs and upgrades to 26 elementary and middle school campuses.
At a workshop this month, a consultant and staff unveiled proposals for $80 million in “first phase” improvements for eight high-need elementary schools — El Vista, Fairview, Franklin, Fremont, John Muir, Orville Wright, Shackelford and Tuolumne.
With those proposals, the school district could conceivably burn through 77 percent of the $104 million in remaining funds from Measures D and E.
Voters in Modesto’s largest school district approved the local bonds totaling $131 million in November 2018 for the purpose of repairing leaky roofs, enhancing safety, upgrading classrooms and making other physical improvements to schools, many of which are 50-plus years old.
It puts more onus on the school district for getting matching funds from the state, which has a $15 billion bond for public school and college facilities on the March 3 ballot. The state matches up to 60 percent for eligible costs of local school projects.
MCS board members made no decisions at the Nov. 14 workshop, but took a hard look at master plans for the eight school sites.
The first phase priorities are security enhancements, replacement of multi-purpose rooms, relocation of portable classrooms and redesign of parking and drop-off areas. The master plans showed the campuses each have a need for $50 million to $60 million in improvements, far exceeding the local bond funds.
Tim Zearley, associate superintendent of business services, said an estimate of $60 million in upgrades for an antiquated school site raises a question: Why not spend the money building a new school, especially if a new school might stop parents from transferring their children to schools outside of MCS.
An option was drawn up for replacing Tuolumne Elementary School in south Modesto, which has lost 135 students to a nearby school in Ceres Unified School District. New elementary schools are costing from $40 million to $50 million today.
Board Member Chad Brown said that spending D and E money on a new school would be disproportional when the needs of other school sites are considered.
Board Member Amy Neumann said the right schools were chosen for the upcoming projects. She said the improvements should reflect promises made to the public last year to spend the bond money to enhance student education.
Under the master plans, each of the eight schools would get a new multipurpose building costing more than $5 million.
A project budget for Fremont Elementary would relocate portables to make room for a new drop-off and parking area off Tully Road on the west side of the campus. The Phase 1 budget includes $882,760 for the parking, drop-off and utilities; $320,000 to relocate eight portable classrooms; and $5.16 million for a multi-purpose building.
Fremont’s $10.1 million in project costs includes $656,380 for escalation, $886,100 for contingencies and $2.2 million in “soft costs,” which usually includes design, inspection fees and project management.
About $7 million in improvements for El Vista would provide site work and utilities, a modernized administration building, a multipurpose building and relocation of portables. The Phase 1 budget with soft costs and contingencies is $10.3 million.
The plan for Franklin Elementary in west Modesto would move portables for a new parking and drop-off zone on the campus’ north side.
More than half of the state bond on the March ballot is for preschool and K-12 public schools, with $2.8 billion going to new construction, $5.2 billion to modernize school facilities, $500 million for charter school facilities and $500 million for career technical education facilities.
Some school officials are concerned the title of the state bond, Proposition 13, will hurt the chances of getting voter approval, because of the emotions stirred by California’s historic tax reform bill of the 1970s.
Zearley said revised plans will be brought back to the MCS board if the state bond does not pass in March. A next step is to develop master plans for the other campuses in the school district.
An initial bond issue of $27 million has targeted all the sites in Modesto City Schools, including heating and air conditioning systems for three junior highs, security cameras, single access points for three campuses, landscaping, pickup and drop-off improvements, parking, marquees and paint.
Work on the eight campus master plans was included in that amount. The Lionakis consulting firm is assisting the school district with the planning.
MCS has a schedule to issue $25 million in bonds from measures D and E in 2021, $26 million each in 2023 and 2025, and $27 million in 2027.
The local school bonds are expected to add $100 annually to the tax bill for a $200,000 home.
This story was originally published November 20, 2019 at 10:03 AM.
