Railings stand in place around a Gervais Elementary School radiator to minimize fire and safety risks. The Gervais school board has said they are prepared to close the entire district if a proposed $28 million bond to fix schools fails on the ballot for May 21, 2024.
Courtesy of Gervais School Distirct
Ninth time might just be the charm.
The Gervais School District is poised to pass its first bond in more than 30 years, after eight failed attempts.
Voters in the small Willamette Valley town appear to be approving a $28 million capital construction bond, avoiding the likely closure of the 1,260-student district.
Gervais’ last successful bond passed in 1991. Since then, Gervais school leaders have asked voters to approve bonds eight times. They’ve asked for anywhere from $4 million to $34 million for a variety of projects. Voters rejected all of them.
But early returns Tuesday night show voters may have changed their tune, with a large majority in support of the bond measure.
With the local bond passing, the district will receive another $6 million in matching funds from the state, giving them a total of $34 million to fix the schools’ longstanding issues. The money will be used for new roofs, windows and sidings, plumbing and electrical repairs, and HVAC upgrades. It’s also expected to be used for increased security needs, such as secure front entryways, cameras, fencing and improved accessibility for people with disabilities.
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The projects would be spread out across all three Gervais schools and go toward some district-wide improvements. The biggest portion — nearly $19 million — would create a middle school. Right now, middle schoolers go to class in two modular buildings: one from 1999 and another from 2013.
Superintendent Dandy Stevens said the passage of the bond is a defining moment for the district — one that will impact students for decades to come.
“There has been definitely a sense of relief and now excitement toward the future on how this bond will provide opportunities for our students,” Stevens told OPB in an email. “There is no one person or group of people that are solely responsible for this outcome.
“However, it was important for everyone to work together to provide the information and assurances to all voters to get this final outcome.”
Stevens added that with the passing of the bond also comes a tremendous amount of responsibility to make sure the district is an “excellent steward of the funds provided.”
Moving forward, she said there will be more opportunities for community members to get involved in the process, such as serving on the district’s Bond Advisory Committee.
Election results and ballot measure information can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.