The following is the full proposition presented to the voters by the Reed Union School District.
“Reed Union School District Repair, Safety, Upgrade Measure: To support quality education and retain/attract quality teachers by upgrading all Reed schools, keeping them safe; repairing deteriorating classrooms/bathrooms, leaky roofs; updating fire/electrical/security systems and earthquake safety; removing mold/asbestos; constructing, repairing facilities, acquiring equipment; shall a measure authorizing $115,000,000 in bonds at legal rates, levying $30 per $100,000 of assessed valuation, ($6,200,000 annually) while bonds are outstanding, requiring citizens’ oversight, spending disclosure/audits, be adopted?”
PROJECT LIST
The Board of Trustees of the Reed Union School District is committed to improving the quality of education in our local public schools by upgrading deteriorating classrooms and science labs, as well as engineering and maker spaces, and improving student safety, providing safe, secure, modern classrooms and technology needed to ensure a high-quality education in a safe, secure, and upgraded learning environment. To that end, the Board evaluated the District’s urgent and critical facility needs, including safety issues, class size reduction, basic repairs, computer and information technology in developing the types of projects to be funded by this measure as described below.
This bond includes strict accountability requirements to make sure public funds are used appropriately. These requirements include public disclosure of all spending, independent annual financial and performance audits, and the formation of a committee of local citizens and business owners to ensure all spending is in line with the promises made in the measure. What’s more, by law, all funds must be used to improve our local schools and cannot be taken by Sacramento, the County or anyone else.
In approving this Project List, the Board of Trustees determines that the District must:
- UPGRADE and IMPROVE deteriorating classrooms and other school facilities to improve learning and prepare our students to go on to high school; and
- RETAIN AND ATTRACT quality teachers; and
- REPLACE and INSTALL heating and cooling systems to promote health, safety, and learning at District schools; and
- REPAIR and REPLACE water, sewer, gas, and related utility systems; and
- IMPROVE access for disabled persons; and
- CONSTRUCT, REPLACE, INSTALL and IMPROVE outdoor learning, gathering and play spaces; and
- INSTALL energy efficiency facilities; and
- REPAIR AND UPGRADE security systems for student safety; and
- REQUIRE a transparent system of accountability, including a Project List detailing how money will be used, a citizens’ oversight committee and public disclosure of how all funds are spent.
The Project List includes the following types of upgrades and improvements at District schools and sites:
DEDICATED LOCAL SCHOOL FUNDING FOR NECESSARY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS
Goal and Purpose: This measure authorizes repair, safety and upgrade projects to be undertaken at Reed Elementary School, Bel Aire Elementary School and Del Mar Middle School.
Bond proceeds will be expended on the repair, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of school facilities of the District, including furnish and equipping and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries or other school operating expenses, in compliance with California Constitution Article XIIIA, Section 1(b)(3).
This project list reflects priorities identified through community input, architect analysis, and the District’s long-range facilities planning process that commenced in Spring 2022. Final decisions about which projects move forward, and when, will be made by the Board based on District needs, project readiness, and available funding.
The following Project List provides the types of school facilities projects authorized to be financed with voter-approved bonds.
- Upgrade, construct and improve deteriorating classrooms and related school facilities to create upgraded, efficient, safe and healthy educational environments, including design, construction and reconstruction, reconfiguring, furnishing and rebuilding of school facilities to support students and to retain and attract quality teachers.
- Structural repairs and upgrades to facilities, including repairing/replacing deteriorating/leaky roofing, ramps, replacement of windows, doors, flooring and all related building finish materials
- Install, repair and/or replace inefficient and outdated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems with updated and efficient systems including systems facilitating air purification
- Reconfiguration and reconstruction of facilities, including all related demolition, storage and temporary facilities during reconstruction
- Interior finishes and renovations: paint, ceiling and wall finishes, window coverings, flooring, carpeting, lockers and casework
- Upgrade, improve and configure classrooms to address Pre-Kindergarten Instruction including constructing or upgrading existing facilities to provide education for Pre-Kindergarten students and ensuring facilities are compliant with all legally required state mandated requirements such as restrooms and appropriate furnishing and equipment
- Replace unusable, deteriorating or even dilapidated portable buildings and trailers with permanent facilities including modular buildings
- Provide facilities and equipment for science, art and maker spaces
- Provide upgraded and sanitary restrooms including updated fixtures and any needed repairs or upgrades to sewer and water distribution systems
- Provide updated drinking fountains including hydration stations
- Improving, constructing, expanding and upgrading classrooms and other facilities such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics centers, libraries, portable structures, legally required state mandated food prep/storage and/or food service and eating areas, multi-purpose rooms, performing arts buildings and other support facilities to provide improved and upgraded facilities for the students, teachers and community
- Upgrading school site safety, accessibility and security to achieve a safe and secure learning environment.
- Installing or upgrading security and access control systems including surveillance systems, secure entry systems, fire alarms, fire sprinkler systems, alarm systems, communication systems and public address systems
- Installing or upgrading lighting and fencing
- Seismic retrofit projects
- Improving student drop-off and bus stop areas including improvements to curbing, walkways, vehicle lanes, campus entries, handrails, signage and lighting
- Improve and expand driveways and parking
- Installing or upgrading outdoor lighting
- Replacing or repairing sidewalks, pathways, walkways and stairs
- Improving pedestrian and bike infrastructure
- Adding outdoor signage
- Any necessary asphalt, concrete, grading or other site work relating to upgrading and construction projects
- Acquiring, installing and improving landscaping, including drought tolerant landscaping, and related irrigation systems
- Facilities Improvements to Ensure Accessibility, Inclusive Design and Broader Community Access.
- Improvements to ensure compliance with all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a minimum baseline, while pursuing broader inclusive design beyond legal minimums to create accessible environments for all users
- Facility upgrades and reconfigurations to enable broader access and support multi-generational community programming, explicitly including accommodations for senior citizens and intergenerational use
- Construct, replace, install and improve outdoor learning, gathering and play spaces.
- Outdoor classrooms, learning areas, pathways and shade structures
- Eating and meeting areas including tables, benches and covered seating
- Play/physical education equipment, track and field and yard renovations and retaining walls
- Landscaping improvements including irrigation
- Repave surface areas
- Acquire, install, repair and upgrade all necessary infrastructure serving District sites and facilities.
- Electrical and other mechanical infrastructure
- Cooling, heating and ventilation systems
- Water, sewer, gas and related utility systems
- Technology upgrades and improvements, including network infrastructure, server and IT rooms and security and related technology equipment
- Site utilities and infrastructure including perimeter and retaining walls, stormwater, drainage structures, garbage upgrades and emergency access
- Acquire and install or upgrade electrical systems, including lighting, power distribution and control systems, including installing systems that provide renewable energy such as solar panels, EV charging station and battery storage
SAFETY AND STUDENT SUCCESS
Goal and Purpose: If we want our students to succeed in high school, they must be skilled in the use of today’s technologies and have a solid background in science, math, reading, writing and technology. This measure will make this possible.
- Bring all classrooms up to the same safety standards.
- Ensure hands-on science labs and engineering and maker spaces are all up to date.
- Upgrade electrical equipment.
- Improve student support facilities and playfields.
- Improving accessibility for students with disabilities.
In addition to the projects listed above, the repair and renovation of each of the existing school and District support facilities may include, but not be limited to, some or all of the following: add or renovate student and staff restrooms; repair and upgrade electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; upgrade of facilities for energy efficiencies, electrical generation and financial savings, including solar panels; improve accessibility for students, staff and the public with disabilities; repair and replace worn-out and deteriorated roofs, windows, walls, floors, sinks, doors and drinking fountains/hydration stations; construct or renovate offices and facilities for multipurpose and indoor/outdoor learning spaces, more efficient areas for professional development and administration and for the safety of students on campuses; install wiring and electrical systems to safely accommodate computers, technology and other electrical devices; upgrade or construct support facilities including administrative, central kitchens, physical education, music, art, and performing and fine arts classrooms or facilities, science, robotics, computer labs/classrooms, career technical facilities, media centers/libraries and buildings, covered eating areas, shade and rain shelter, playgrounds, administrative, transportation and maintenance facilities and yards; acquire modular/portable classrooms; repair and replace fire alarms, emergency communications, public address, speaker, and security systems; improve facilities to satisfy ADA and seismic requirements; as needed, removal of hazardous materials like asbestos and lead paint from older schools, as needed; improve/resurface or replace asphalt, broken concrete and improve hard courts, turf, tracks, athletic fields, irrigation, and downspout drainage systems and campus landscaping; install signage, flagpoles, solar electric systems and fencing; expand parking and improve pick-up and drop-off areas and crosswalks; improve all site utilities; acquire land; construct new school buildings; upgrade or replace interior and exterior painting, floor covering, including carpets, and school facades; demolition; upgrade kitchens, food service and school cafeterias; construct various forms of storage and support spaces and classrooms; improve quads; repair, upgrade and install interior and exterior lighting systems and back-up power generators; improve or replace playgrounds, play structures, athletic fields, lockers, gymnasiums, and facilities to support student health, fitness and safety; replace outdated fences, including security fences and security systems (including access control systems and cameras), provide lunch shelters, indoor space for assemblies or for rainy day lunch; upgrade music labs, multi-purpose rooms, learning centers and media centers; add or upgrade parking lots including solar systems and electric vehicle charging stations. In addition to the listed projects stated above, the Project List also includes the acquisition of a variety of instructional, maintenance and operational equipment, including the reduction or retirement of outstanding lease obligations and interim funding incurred to advance fund projects from the Project List; payment of the costs of preparation of all facility planning, facility studies, assessment reviews, facility master plan preparation and updates, environmental studies (including environmental investigation, remediation and monitoring), design and construction documentation, DSA oversight, and temporary housing of dislocated District activities caused by construction projects.
The upgrading of technology infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, network rewiring, cabling, computers, portable interface devices, servers, switches, routers, modules, sound projection systems, laser printers, scanners and copiers, digital white boards and smart boards, document projectors, upgrade voice-over-IP, clock/telephone/intercom systems, call manager and network security/firewall, wireless technology systems, refresh classroom technology, miscellaneous IT and instructional equipment, data storage, archiving and preservation, phones, identity cards and the construction and installation of a data center in the cloud for the District’s enterprise systems, such as resource planning, websites, domain name systems, cloud applications and information security.
The budget for each project is an estimate and may be affected by factors beyond the District’s control. Some projects throughout the District may be undertaken as joint use projects in cooperation with other local public or non-profit agencies. The final cost of each project will be determined as plans and construction documents are finalized, construction bids are received, construction contracts are awarded and projects are completed. Based on the final costs of each project, certain of the projects described above may be delayed or may not be completed. Demolition of portable classrooms and existing facilities and reconstruction of facilities scheduled for repair and upgrade may occur, if the Board determines that such an approach would be more cost-effective in creating more enhanced and operationally efficient campuses. Necessary site preparation/restoration may occur in connection with new construction, renovation or remodeling, or installation or removal of relocatable or modular classrooms, including ingress and egress, removing, replacing, or installing irrigation or drainage systems, traffic signals, sewer or utility lines, trees and landscaping, relocating fire access roads, and acquiring any necessary easements, licenses, permits, or rights of way to the property. The listed projects will be completed as needed. Each project is assumed to include its share of furniture, equipment, architectural, engineering, legal fees and similar planning costs, connection fees, program and project management, staff training expenses and a customary contingency for unforeseen design and construction costs. Proceeds of the bonds may be used to pay or reimburse the District for the cost of District bond audits and staff when performing work on or necessary and incidental to bond projects. Bond proceeds shall only be expended for the types of projects and purposes identified herein. The District shall create an account into which proceeds of the bonds shall be deposited and comply with the reporting requirements of Government Code § 53410.
FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY
THIS MEASURE REQUIRES A CLEAR SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY, INCLUDING A PROJECT LIST DETAILING HOW THE MONEY WILL BE USED, A CITIZENS’ OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND INDEPENDENT AUDITS TO ENSURE MONEY IS SPENT PROPERLY.
In accordance with Education Code Section 15272, the Board of Trustees will appoint a citizens’ oversight committee and conduct annual independent audits to assure that funds are spent only on District projects and for no other purpose. The expenditure of bond money on these projects is subject to stringent financial accountability requirements. By law, performance and financial audits will be performed annually, and all bond expenditures will be monitored by an independent citizens’ oversight committee to ensure that funds are spent as promised and specified. The citizens’ oversight committee must include, among others, representation of a bona fide taxpayers association, a business organization and a senior citizens organization. No District employees or vendors are allowed to serve on the citizens’ oversight committee.
No Administrator Salaries: Proceeds from the sale of the bonds authorized by this proposition shall be used only for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, and not for any other purpose, including teacher and school administrator salaries and other operating expenses.