PORT TOWNSEND — A residents’ group advocating the passage of a $40.9 million bond to subsidize the construction of a new elementary school in Port Townsend is giving its first public presentation Tuesday.
The first meeting of the group, known as It’s Elementary, will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St.
“This is a generational opportunity,” said Jeff Randall, the group’s leader.
“If we want to continue to welcome young families to the community, we need to invest in a new elementary school.”
Replace school
The district has placed a bond measure on the Feb. 9 ballot to subsidize a new facility to replace the aging Grant Street Elementary School as well as make districtwide improvements in safety, security and disabled access.
The plan is to build a new school on the current athletic field behind the old building, which would be demolished at completion.
If voters approve the bond, the plan is to open the new school for the 2018-19 school year.
The measure will need a supermajority — 60 percent plus one vote — for passage.
In addition, Port Townsend, with 11,472 registered voters, will need 2,675 voters to return a ballot to validate the election.
If voters approve the measure, property tax levies would begin in 2017.
In Port Townsend, a levy rate of $1.24 per $1,000 assessed property value would be expected to be required for 20 years to finance the bond.
Property owners are now paying a levy of 54 cents per $1,000 assessed value for a capital improvements levy that will be retired in 2016.
That means the new measure, if approved, would result in a net increase for capital improvements of 70 cents per $1,000 assessed value.
Approval of the bond measure would mean the annual property tax for a $150,000 property would increase by $105, the school district said.
Plans for new school
The plans for the new school include a courtyard with outdoor access for each classroom so teachers can more easily incorporate outdoor learning into the curriculum.
The plans also include a large garden on the northeast side of the campus, a cafeteria and a teaching kitchen.
“We’ve tried to create a common-sense school design for the community, but also one that will inspire our children, help them learn about growing food and about the wonderful environment around us,” Randall said.
Reports on building
A leaky pipe was discovered in a hallway closet at the Grant Street school in late November and cannot be repaired at this time because of the age of the heating system, according to Brad Taylor, the Port Townsend School District’s facilities director.
Now the closet is cordoned off by a plastic sheet while the slowly leaking water drops into a plastic trash can.
Taylor said he is afraid to touch it because work could cause a chain reaction that could result in more leaks throughout the aging system.
To replace the pipe, the system would need to be shut down.
“When you turn a boiler back on, there is a surge of pressure, and I’m afraid what will happen if I do it now,” Taylor said.
“If I have my way, we can wait until summer to fix this because disrupting the heating system in the middle of winter isn’t a good idea.”
Currently, there is no danger to the students or the facility, although if the pipe were to burst, it would cause severe water damage, Taylor said.
Lisa Condran, the school’s principal, said tests found no asbestos in the area.
A new boiler was installed in 2010 and attached to the existing pipe system, which would have required taking down several walls to replace.
To replace the leaky pipe, walls would need to be torn down which would disrupt the school, Taylor said.
The pipe cannot be repaired with wraparound tape because there is no room to use the tape because the pipe abuts a second pipe.
Due to the age of the system, the school could expect more leaks before the new building is constructed, Taylor said.
Short presentation
On Tuesday, It’s Elementary representatives will make a short presentation, and citizen members of the school district’s facility committee who have worked on the design of the new school will be on hand to answer questions.
It is also a fundraising and volunteer organizing event.
The group plans to address the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce along with service clubs and will begin a doorbelling campaign in January.
The group hopes to schedule other presentations prior to the election.
For more information, go to www.itselementarypt.org or call Randall at 360-385-2575.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
