Petaluma district seeks $4 million in bonds for Waugh schools

A portion of voters in the Waugh School District on Petaluma’s east side are being asked to approve $4 million in bond for improvements at Corona Creek and Meadow elementary schools.

The two district schools have leaky roofs, outdated plumbing, need handicapped accessibility improvements and have not been significantly renovated in more than two decades, said Rebecca Rosales, the district superintendent.

Measure X, which would require 55 percent of the vote to pass and would add $30 to $100,000 of assessed property value according to district estimates, will be on the ballot only for residents who were not incorporated into the original district that established the modern Waugh schools. The so-called School Facilities Improvement District, a subsection of the school district, has about 800-900 voters, Rosales said.

She said that the schools in the 1,000-student district have deferred maintenance due to tough financial times of the past several years. As budgets contracted, the district has prioritized maintaining the level of education over facility improvements, she said.

“We’ve weathered through some tough financial times,” Rosales said. “The money that we’ve had has gone to keeping programs operating. Funding had been lacking from the state, so you get out the duct tape.”

If the measure passes, an oversight committee would monitor bond revenue spending. Funds cannot be spent on teacher or administration salaries. The district currently operates on an $8 million budget.

Rosales said the district did a study last year to determine the extent of work needed on the two schools. Projects include upgrading the roofing, modernizing the classrooms, replacing doors, windows and lighting, installing renewable energy systems, repaving back tops and adding new playground equipment.

“It will take a lot of work to get the buildings up to par,” Rosales said. “We want to continue providing excellent education for years to come. It’s time to pay attention to our buildings. With the community’s support, we will have the capacity to make upgrades to out schools so we can have them for another 20 years.”

Meadow Elementary School on Maria Drive, was built 25 years ago. Corona Creek Elementary School on Corona Road, came five years later. Students at the two schools have among the highest test scores in the Petaluma area.

There is no public opposition to Measure X. A group of district residents signed the ballot argument in favor of the measure, saying it would provide a critical funding source.

“Measure X makes financial sense and protects the taxpayers,” the group wrote. “Measure X upgrades and renovates inadequate classrooms, improves the education of local children and maintains the quality of our community. That’s something we can all support.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)