Ballots are in the mail this week and the fate of the Anacortes School District’s $62.9 million bond is in voters’ hands.

Some of those voters, nervous about the economy and their tax bills, are questioning the cost.

“The bottom line is there is never a great time to ask people for money. But we’re going to ask now to do what’s best for students and their learning,” said Superintendent Chris Borgen.

He said doing the projects in one bond request rather than breaking it up is more cost efficient.

“We can save (taxpayers) a significant amount of money,” he said.

The district is mailing out a bond guide to help voters understand the proposal. The guide includes an explanation of the district’s renovation plans, the impact on taxes and answers to frequently asked questions.

While worries about a possible recession have some voters taking out their calculators, economic conditions are helping the bond proposal in some ways, district leaders say.

Lower interest rates “make it a great time to buy bonds,” Borgen said.

The slowdown could also help the district if contractors are getting hungrier.

“If the bond passes we could end up in one of the best bidding climates,” Borgen said.

Voters have been asked to approve the 20-year $62.9 million school bond in a special election Feb. 19. The bond will renovate Anacortes High School and Mount Erie Elementary School and build a new maintenance facility.

The proposal is nearly identical to the $59.8 million bond that failed in April 2007. It received a 57.9 percent yes vote, just below the 60 percent supermajority required for a bond to pass.

The higher price tag — up about 5 percent from the April bond — is driven by inflation costs.

The district anticipates the bond, if passed, will cost property owners 46 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation in 2009. The owner of a $300,000 home would pay about $138 more in property taxes.

For the bond to pass, the district must receive a supermajority with a 60 percent yes vote. In addition, turnout must equal at least 40 percent of the number of voters who participated in the last general election.

Rick Yeomans, co-chair for the Bond Committee for Anacortes Schools, said the district may be able to get good prices with the slowing economy.

“We’ll get a better deal on whatever it is the district buys,” he said.

Rates for bonds are at a historic low so taxpayers would pay less interest and good construction companies are less busy, so bids would likely be more aggressive, Yeomans said.

“You’re buying as efficiently as you can and you’re getting the best financing you can,” he said.

District leaders took into account the community’s use of district buildings when designing the project.

“Our schools are truly community buildings,” Borgen said.

Many groups use the buildings during non-school hours, including the new Anacortes Senior College, churches, musical groups and athletic teams.

“The items that are requested in the bond show that shared history, the connection between the School District and the community,” Yeomans said. “It’s why we have a Brodniak.”

The Anacortes School District’s current bond proposal would complete the second phase of building upgrades, Borgen said. Phase one included upgrading Fidalgo, Island View and Whitney elementary schools and Anacortes Middle School. Some work was also done at the high school.

The maintenance facility has been a candidate for replacement for years but has been postponed every time, he said.

The bond is the highest request in county history. The next highest school bond request, $33 million, came from the Mount Vernon School District in 2000 and 2001, according to the Skagit County Elections Office. It failed both times.

The largest request by the Burlington-Edison School District was $19.9 million in 2001. It passed. The largest request by the Sedro-Woolley School District was $15 million in 1995. It also passed.

After the district’s April bond request failed, the facilities committee looked at the request again. Borgen said the initial $59.8 million request was put together based on the committee’s recommendations and feedback from the community.

“It was already kerneled down to the needs of the building,” he said. “It brings our buildings all up to standard and serves us well into the future.”

The district also contracted with a company to do a phone survey of 250 Anacortes residents after the bond failed. The majority of respondents favored the same proposal, even at a higher cost.

“Based on the results of that survey and the bond survey consultant’s recommendations we decided to come back with the same proposal,” Borgen said.

Anacortes High School is in line for about $54.4 million in work.

Proposed upgrades include a renovation and reconfiguration of the existing school, a new career and technology education wing and improvements to athletic fields, which include covered bleachers for the home side and uncovered bleachers on the visitor’s side and improvements to War Memorial Field and Rice Field.

The project includes remodeling a majority of the high school built in 1976; adding new student areas; and modernizing the library, computer lab, drama rooms and Brodniak Hall.

The current career and technical education wing will be demolished and replaced by a roughly 62,000-square-foot two-story building including science labs.

Work to the athletic portions include 1,500-seat covered bleachers at War Memorial Field, improvements to the parking lots, synthetic turf, guest bleachers and a new scoreboard and lighting. Improvements to Rice Field include storage, bleachers, a concessions building and rest rooms and field improvements including fencing and lighting.

Borgen said putting in synthetic turf will save the district money on upkeep but also bring money in to the district and the city because it will be able to host tournaments.

Mount Erie Elementary School is in line for about $7.1 million for construction of a new gymnasium and reconfiguration of the parking and student drop-off and pick-up area. It also includes minor modernization to parts of the existing building.

The final part of the proposal is a roughly $2.95 million maintenance and storage facility to replace the World War II-era building now in use. Construction will include covered vehicle storage, a loading dock and a delivery access road.

Bond Basics

What it costs
Voters will be asked to approve a 20-year $62.9 million school bond in a special election Feb. 19 to finance a list of construction projects.

The district anticipates the bond, if passed, will cost property owners 46 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation in 2009. The owner of a $300,000 home would pay about $138 more in property taxes.

What it buys
• Renovation and reconfiguration of existing parts of Anacortes High School, a new career and technology wing and improvements to athletic fields, which include covered bleachers as well as improvements to War Memorial Field and Rice Field, about $54.4 million.

• A new community gym at Mount Erie Elementary School and reconfiguration of a parking lot, bus lane and student drop-off, about $7.1 million.

• A maintenance and storage facility, about $2.95 million.

Want to learn more?
• Read about what the bond will buy in a series published by the Anacortes American last year prior to the April 2007 election at http://www.goskagit.com.

• Visit the Anacortes School District Web site at http://www.asd103.org. Click on the “District” option and scroll down to the “School Bond 2008” option.

• Visit the Bond Committee for Anacortes Schools’ Web site at http://www.anacortesbond.com. The committee, which is not connected to the School District, is chaired by Kris Lytton and Rick Yeomans.

• Call Superintendent Chris Borgen at 293-1210.

New ballot box installed at library
A new permanent ballot drop-off box has been installed at the Anacortes Public Library for those who do not want to mail in their ballot. It is located on the north side of the building by the library’s outdoor book return slots.

The box will be open 24 hours a day beginning Wednesday, Jan. 30 until 8 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, Feb. 19.

The roughly 3-foot high white box will have signs added before the election and ballots will include directions to the new drop-off location.

Ballots can no longer be dropped off at Fidalgo Elementary School.

Along with the Anacortes School District bond, the presidential primary will also be on the ballot.

Voters in the presidential primary must choose to vote Democratic or Republican by checking one party oath and signing on the envelope. If voters choose not to participate in the presidential primary, votes will still be counted for the local issues as long as the envelope is signed.

Ballots will be mailed from the Skagit County Auditor’s Office on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

Call Skagit County Elections at (360) 336-9305.

Other Anacortes school bond articles:
Anacortes school bond would fund $23.9 million career and technology wing at high school
School bond would fund classrooms, stadium, and renovate high school library, Brodniak Hall
Synthetic turf would allow more field use at same cost, school leaders say
Bond would unsnarl traffic in Mount Erie Elementary School dropoff zone, build new gym
School bond would replace ‘woefully inadequate’ maintenance building
District asking voters to ‘protect our investment’
Q & A: School bond costs, benefits examined
School survey shows respondents favor same proposal
Inside the Anacortes school bond
Largest bond request in county history