The Pagosa Peak Open School Board of Directors has formally endorsed Archuleta School District’s (ASD’s) Question 5A, which will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
During its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16, the board voted 5-1 to approve a Resolution No. 091126-A, with board members Jesse White, Lawrence Rugar, Pamela Meade, Stephan Cox and Elle Highcamp voting in favor of the resolution and board member Bill Hudson voting against the resolution.
According to the resolution, “Ballot Question 5A seeks voter authorization for a $79.9 million bond issue with a repayment cost of up to $156,500,000 to unlock approximately $50 million in matching state funds through the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant program.”
The ASD Board of Education unanimously approved specific ballot language for voters to consider during its regular meeting held on Sept. 2.
The resolution also explains that the ballot question, if approved, will provide funding to build a new pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade campus for “district students while also allocating funds for needed facility repairs, infrastructure, and capital improvements at Pagosa Peak Open School.”
In a press release, White explains that PPOS serves approximately 15 percent of ASD students.
“The school’s families are ASD families, and the board’s resolution recognized that investing in public school facilities, whether district-managed or charter, benefits the entire community,” it states.
During the Sept. 16 meeting, School Director Emily Murphy explained that the topic of PPOS’ stance on the ASD ballot measure was brought up in a family council meeting, mentioning that there might have been a “lack of clarity” on what the school’s stance is.
Meade asked Murphy if she felt like the resolution would help address concerns brought up in the family council meeting, with Murphy stating that it would be helpful to say the board approved the resolution.
Hudson explained that he “personally can’t support 5A,” suggesting that it might be a “controversial issue.”
Rugar explained that he attended the district’s Master Plan Advisory Committee (MPAC) meetings where information on the district’s current conditions of its elementary and middle school buildings was presented.
Rugar noted that there are issues with the buildings that are not necessarily noticed by simply looking at or even walking into the schools.
“These buildings are old,” he said.
Rugar also explained that there were arguments about if the district could repair the buildings, or if a new school was needed, and that “majority of people” felt the community needed a new school.
Rugar mentioned that once the decision was made to go with a new school, the next argument was about where that school could be built, uptown or downtown.
He explained that the ASD board decided to build on the uptown site located off of Vista Boulevard and that “aside from the fact that they were saving a huge amount of money because they own the property,” the majority of people wanted it uptown.
“The kids deserve a safer place to learn, a better place to learn,” he said.
Rugar also explained that with the way the bond is written, $1.7 million would go to PPOS, which he noted could be used on phase two of the school’s gym project.
“So, we have value in that,” he said.
Rugar claimed that PPOS wouldn’t be able to raise that amount of money in 20 years based on its fundraising efforts over the past five years.
“But, we have an opportunity to make a large amount of money for us to move forward in some of our strategic goals, and I think that is why we should be voting for this,” he said.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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