An additional $2 million is proposed to fund maintenance projects -- such as
replacing the elementary school gym roof, replacing the intermediate school
building roof, fencing fields, installing underground sprinklers painting and
carpet replacement -- and "capital outlay" projects.
Replacing and/or upgrading computers, software and other technology at Sisters
Middle/High School is estimated to require $400,000. Textbook purchases over a
five-year period are provided for with $300,000.
Other capital projects include building storage space for teachers in the event
a year-round calendar is adopted, building playgrounds and fields, equipment
replacement and maintenance and digging an irrigation well at the middle/high
school site.
The well was allocated $80,000. District Business Manager Earl Armbruster told
the board he has budgeted $46,000 for water over next year, absorbing a 250
percent increase in water costs because the City of Sisters will charge the
schools for water on a metered rate.
Board chairman Bill Reed said a well was a sound investment.
"Given the cost of city water these days, I think we can get a payback on that
irrigation well in a five year period," Reed said.
Traffic safety improvements at the elementary school were given $30,000 in the
proposed plan. According to Armbruster, those improvements could include a turn
lane on Cascade and a new entrance into the school parking lot.
Board member Jan van den Berg emphasized that the proposed expenditures are not
fixed and that the district was not committed to spending all of the $2
million.
"Any of these items are open to further scrutiny," van den Berg said.
Armbruster noted that some of the proposed maintenance and capital projects lie
in the future.
"We're looking five, six years down the road for some of these projects," he
said.
But Armbruster was comfortable presenting the plan to the public.
"I could stand up and look anybody in the eye and defend any of these (items),"
he said.
