School bond levy set for November ballot
$18.5 million bond will go toward district-wide upgrades

By JESSICA KELLER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Saturday, July 19, 2008 10:19 PM PDT

ONTARIO — School district residents will have more to vote on than just the presidential election this November.

Voters will have to decide on whether to approve an $18.5 million school bond after Ontario School Board members unanimously passed a resolution to put the levy on this November’s ballot at Thursday’s meeting. Board member Nancy Alvarado was absent.

While the board members approved the measure without much discussion, the latest vote was actually the culmination of more than a year’s work to comprehensively examine the school district facilities. The review process included an extensive long-term facilities plan by the community-driven Ontario School Facilities Task Force.

The task force presented its plan, wrapping up eight months of research and hard work, to the School Board at its June meeting, complete with a recommendation to go out for the latest bond measure.

While the previous failed school district bond targeted the high school specifically, this bond measure is aimed at making capital construction and improvements at each of the schools in the district.

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If passed, the $18.5 million bond will provide for new science classrooms at the high school; constructing a new building at Ontario Middle School to accommodate up to 500 students plus offices and renovate an existing middle school building to handle up to 250 students; update existing school systems and facilities at each of the schools; make site improvements and pay bond issuance costs.

In addition, the School Board has committed to two other task force recommendations of creating a school bond advisory committee, ensuring the funds are used as intended, and a school facilities advisory committee to keep track of other facility maintenance and upgrades.

Superintendent Dennis Carter said in the School Board work session, the facilities advisory committee, comprised of members of the public, could probably be formed in the next couple of months. He recommended holding off on appointing a school bond advisory committee, which would be comprised of members of the public and current task force members, until after November and a successful bond passage.

“Because they’re a committee without a purpose if the bond doesn’t pass,” Carter said.

He also advised board members meet with City Council members within the next couple of weeks because the middle school construction depends heavily on the closure of Second Street, which runs through campus, and that would require council approval. Carter said he already spoke with Ontario City Manager Henry Lawrence about such a meeting.

During the School Board meeting, Ontario School Facilities Task Force member Michelle Grimaldo told the council task force members have already met and discussed formation of a school bond promotional committee. She said they started to talk about a promotional strategy but stopped until a bond levy resolution was actually passed.

“We’re chomping at the bit,” Grimaldo said.

In other action, the board members interviewed one of the two candidates for the vacant board position, formerly held by state Rep. Cliff Bentz. Former School Board member Pamela Russell and Ontario School Facilities Task Force member David Cox applied for the vacant seat, and the board briefly interviewed Russell in its work session.

Cox, who is out of town, will be interviewed by the board within the next couple of weeks, after which the School Board will appoint the new board member. In her interview, Russell told the board she felt her previous experience as a board member, especially regarding state legislation and budgeting, would be an asset to the board.