Mesothelioma and Asbestos News

Battling the bond levy

October 24, 2006

CANYONVILLE — Bob Deaton has never voted against a school levy, he said, but he is actively working to defeat South Umpqua School District’s proposed $19 million bond levy.

He’s a member of Community Schools political action committee and is a former school board member from Canyonville.

Opposing the levy has been hard, Deaton said, but he doesn’t believe it’s a good proposal.

“It doesn’t address the problems in the district, and it ties our hands for 20 years,” Deaton said.

Instead of a new middle school in Tri City for all of the district, the group would like to see existing buildings repaired, with schools that could house kindergarten through eighth grade in each community.

School board Chairwoman Chris Goodwin said problems in the elementary school buildings are addressed in a five-year facilities plan, provided the bond levy passes. After building a new middle school, the district would sell the nine buildings currently used by Coffenberry Middle School. That money would be used to repair the elementary schools. The district would also save money on maintenance in a new building, she said.

The political action committee members don’t believe the buildings would raise enough money to take care of all of the problems.

Members also question why asbestos abatement is considered a priority at the high school but not at the elementary schools, which also have asbestos tile flooring.

Facilities Director Doug Brewer said the asbestos tiles have been damaged at the high school because of a raw sewage leak. Asbestos isn’t a problem as long as it is sealed, and the district keeps the elementary floors sealed. In some parts of the high school, however, the tiles are not adhering to the floor properly.

Frank Braudt of Canyonville worked for the school district for 38 years, most recently as curriculum director.

“It would seem very prudent to postpone this election,” Braudt said.

He is not opposed to a bond levy, but the one proposed addresses building a new middle school and renovating the high school only. Braudt thinks it would be better to repair all the district’s buildings instead of building a new one.

Carma Burwell, who lives between Canyonville and Myrtle Creek, also served on the school board. She thinks if the levy fails, the school board will have to come up with a new plan that is acceptable to the majority of voters, she said.

The group also thinks some of the projects at the high school shouldn’t be included in a bond levy, like repaving the parking lot.

Brewer said a list of projects given to the public has not been prioritized. It includes all the problems administrators found.

“Of course a parking lot is a low priority compared to electrical distribution,” he said, adding that the district hopes the nonprofit South Umpqua School Foundation can take on lower-budget items.

The political action committee points to a project at the Hilltop Building in Canyonville as a wise use of funds. The district remodeled the building for use as a cafeteria for about $50,000.

But Brewer said the building was remodeled, but not fully renovated, and it would cost $1 million to make it safe in an earthquake, according to an engineer. Renovation would involve plumbing and electrical upgrades, which were not done, Brewer said.

The political action committee is not convinced that the bond levy is the right course.

“Put together a plan that really attends to what the issues really are,” Braudt said. “I think if it were put together right, I think people would support it.”