Despite calls by some to "halt the process" and "regroup," the Pueblo City Schools (D60) board of education agreed to continue moving forward with the testing of bond measure waters.

After a presentation by a representative from financial advisor George K. Baum during the regular April meeting, the board reaffirmed its commitment to a multi-part mail-based campaign to vet the popularity of two bond-driven district reconfiguration proposals currently on the table.

After months of discussion among the board, stakeholder groups and in public forums, more than a dozen reconfiguration scenarios as presented in MOA Architects' master plan and facilities assessment were pared down to a pair.

The first, option 2A, is the most costly, requiring a $315 million bond. With the closing of all four existing high schools would come two new 2,000 student-capacity schools, built in the north/east quadrant and the central/south quadrant.



In option 4B, which comes with a $291 million price tag, two new 1,200-student high schools would be built to replace Centennial and East high schools, with Central and South receiving upgrades and repairs.

In both proposals, emergency repairs and priority upgrades would be made to as many as 10 schools, with as many as five elementary and middle schools potentially closing. With the board's blessing, removed from the four high-school scenario is the consolidation of Roncalli STEM Academy with Central High School to form a 6-12 STEM program.

The mail campaign will see an informational letter — providing an overview of the district's facilities crisis, the proposals to address it and associated costs — sent out to more than 37,850 registered voter households.

This letter, to be sent in the first week of May, will be followed up by a mail survey (May 15) and phone poll (June 8-11) designed to gauge interest in the bond-driven reconfiguration options.

Corresponding with the mailings and phone survey will be four community forums, tentatively slated for mid-May, which will allow stakeholders further opportunity to weigh in.

Paul Hanley, a senior vice president with George K. Baum, told the board he's spent the last 27 years "trying to figure out what taxpayers want," becoming involved in the process once a board has decided what it wants to "share and test."

The mail survey, Hanley said, "is not a scientific tool: rather, it's half information, half questions, and some of the questions are open ended. And it goes to every registered voter household." Contrarily, a 400-person phone poll is scientific.

Hanley also suggested placing an additional question before those to be surveyed.

"I think $300 million is a lot of money. So I recommend that you do a question that is about $195 million just in the event, that when this pollster does his work, he comes back and he's like, 'They don't like either.'

"It could happen, it's a big ask, and at least we have something we can fall back on. And maybe they won't like the $195 million either. But I think you should do that to be safe."

Board member Bobby Gonzales concurred, pointing out, "I don't think we can walk away with nothing. It's just too important."

As for moving forward with a bond question once the survey information is digested, Hanley recommends "taking as much time as possible, to gather as much information as possible: is it two high schools, four high schools, is it a hybrid?

"As soon as you adopt that question, Colorado election law kicks in and it's the line in the sand." Hanley said the district has until early September to adopt a ballot question.

"Let's be clear," board president Barb Clementi asserted. "The testing models that will be used are not the final end-all and be-all. We're still in the 'big stroke' category."

It also was reiterated that bond proceeds can only be used for capital construction and repairs, not to fund operations, programs or curriculum.

On the issue of a "competitive" November ballot, it was noted by Gonzales that bond questions for both the library district — later clarified by Clementi as "recommissioning what we already are paying: not an additional tax" — and a new detention facility may be placed before voters.

"I would rather go against the jail," Gonzales said. "I think our kids are more important than prisoners."

Responded Hanley, "My concern is that every year that you wait, it gets more expensive. That's the challenge. But the beauty is, by the time we do the phone poll, you'll know whether you have a chance or not."

Clementi said the time for action is now.

"I think this sounds like exactly what we need and the sooner the better," the board president said.

jpompia@chieftain.com

Twitter: @jpompia