School district gets to work following bond victory
School district officials are not resting on their laurels. They are moving quickly from celebrating passage of the Measure B school bond measure earlier this month to implementing it.
Superintendent Terry Oestreich said initially she was “giddy,” but her next thought was, “Oh my gosh, we have so much work to do.”
The measure, which needed 55 percent to pass, garnered just over 58 percent. The passage means that taxpayers will see an increase on their property tax bills — about $60 per $100,000 of assessed value.
County treasurer Julie White said taxpayers could expect to see those assessments on their 2017 bills next fall.
White said the county auditor would calculate the rate in July or August, and the Board of Supervisors would approve it in August, so that her office could get tax bills mailed by the end of September.
The school district has much work to do before then. It is launching a series of community meetings in early December to help prioritize projects.
Oestreich said the format of the meetings would include small groups to look at topics such as needed interior work, exterior work, 21st-century technology and safety.
The district plans to hold a second round of meetings in early January.
“Some communities might need a third or a fourth meeting,” Oestreich said.
School district trustees will need to declare the results of the election and form a bond oversight committee at their Dec. 7 meeting.
Oestreich said teachers, staff, students, parents and the community would be represented on the committee.
“You need to be good stewards of these bonds,” outgoing trustee Bret Cook told his colleagues at their November meeting. “It’s a lot of money, a lot of trust.”
More information is available at pcoe.k12.ca.us.
Measure B community meetings, first round
PORTOLA
Monday, Dec. 5, 5:30 p.m.
Portola High School library
QUINCY
Monday, Dec. 12, 5:30 p.m.
Quincy High School library
GREENVILLE
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 5:30 p.m.
Greenville High School library
CHESTER
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 5:30 p.m.
Chester High School library
