“Our community-led Bond Advisory Committee took a hard look at safety, security, student programs, energy efficiency, conservation and facility needs. And the projects they recommended address all of those areas and, importantly, save us money,” Board President John Havenstrite said in a press release from the district.
Proposition A would issue $117.77 million for campus maintenance and repairs, safety and security upgrades, energy efficiency improvements and parking lot resurfacing. Additional projects would include roof and ventilation repairs, playground resurfacing and replacement of fine arts equipment. The bond item also includes refurbishments of the district’s recent purchase property adjacent to Westlake High School.
Proposition B would allocate $2.41 million for refurbishments at Chaparral Stadium, such as safety improvements, pole lighting replacement and track surface replacement. Proposition C would give $11.25 million to replace staff and student devices, along with classroom and lab computer equipment.
The bond will not impact the current interest and sinking, or debt service, tax rate in the district, which will remain $0.12 per $100 property valuation.
If approved, some items included in the bond will reduce operational expenses and allow for more money to go toward teacher salaries, according to a press release from the district. For example, the installation of solar panels districtwide would save the district $800,000 annually in operating costs. The district estimates a total of $2.8 million will be saved annually with all proposed improvements in the bonds.
The district’s most recent bond was passed in 2019, authorizing $80 million for a variety of projects within the district, including the new Westlake High School aquatics center, wrestling center, and robotics and engineering program space.
More information on the bond is available on the district's bond website.
