The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
In need of committed steering committee
[ By Kendra Walker ]
With the local schools still in need of building improvements and expansion, especially with the growing Crested Butte Community School student population and lack of classroom space to teach it in, the Gunnison Watershed School District is reexamining a facilities expansion project and potential bond measure for the November 2022 ballot.
This past summer, the Gunnison Watershed School District board voted unanimously not to pursue an $83 million bond issue on the 2021 November ballot. Their decision to hold off until next year was largely influenced by the mixed results of a mail survey sent out to the community. The board agreed to use this next year to put together a steering committee to narrow the scope and cost of the project and better community the needs of the school district with Gunnison County voters.
During the December 13 school board meeting, district superintendent Dr. Leslie Nichols walked the school board and members of the community in attendance through the survey results sent out earlier this year to gauge the community’s temperature on the facilities project.
The results showed an even split, 47 in favor of and 47 percent against the bond issue. The strongest argument for those in favor was to address north valley enrollment growth. There are currently six modular classrooms at CBCS to help alleviate overcrowding issues.
The high priorities identified by the public included deferred maintenance, addressing overcrowding, and safety and security upgrades.
“We absolutely have to be sure we’re keeping up with the times, the safety issues are real,” said Nichols, noting that the school buildings’ entryways were designed before the 1999 Columbine school shooting. “And our 2009 upgrades do not meet current safety standards,” she added.
Medium priorities include adding space for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) programming, energy efficiency and sustainability improvements, improved space for special education programming, and adding space for CTE (career and technical education) programming.
Low priorities included walking and biking paths, improved entrances, parking, pick-up and drop-off areas, outdoor restrooms and concessions, and athletic fields and related improvements.
“The board needs to work on refining the scope and cost of the project based on those high, medium and low priorities,” said Nichols. The board is currently pulling together a steering committee to help narrow the scope, as well as communicate the needs of the district to the greater community. The school board needs to make a decision by next August whether or not to include the facilities expansion bond issue on the November 2022 ballot.
“We would like to come back to the voters in November of 2022 with a bond measure on the ballot,” said board president Tyler Martineau. “And we would likely be seeking approval of the money with the bond funds to carry out these facilities improvements that are very badly needed in this entire school district.”
“We need to lower the price tag,” said board treasurer Dave Taylor. “[Funding should be split] 60 percent in Crested Butte because they need the space, and 40 percent in Gunnison. Let’s get as much done with the money we can get, and get our political leaders behind it. If we can convince them that this is the best for their community I think we have a good chance of passing the bond issue, especially with our political dynamics in the county.”
Martineau agreed, adding, “We need to up our game with community outreach with respect to this project. It was very difficult last year in the midst of COVID. There are a lot of different needs to be addressed, but there’s also a finite amount of money. Our goal really is to get some committed folks from the community who want to take this effort on, lead it and get out there and develop the support that we need. There is a lot of work to be done in the coming months and you’ll hear more from us.”
