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For a complete calendar, click on the Community Calendar link in the left hand navigation bar
Tuesday January 6
Free Homebuyer Education Classes
Due to popular demand Mammoth Lakes Housing (MLH) will offer free Homebuyer Education classes for anyone interested in the process of purchasing a home. Entire purchase process, from shopping for a loan, to working with escrow officers, to understanding loan terms, and how your credit report impacts you in today’s market. 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. MLH office. Space is limited. Call (760) 934-4740 to register.
Eastern Sierra Photographers Club
Meeting at the DWP conference room in Bishop, at 7 p.m. Bring slides, prints or digital images to share. For more information, call (760) 937-7736.
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School board sends bond issue to voters |
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Thursday, 17 July 2008 |
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How will it impact property tax?
By Stacey Powells
Mammoth Times Staff Writer  Architectural drawing of the new high school facilityART SUPPLIED BY NTD ARCHITECTURE
In a 5-0 vote the Mammoth Unified School District Board Monday officially sent a bond issue for a new high school to the November ballot. The bond will also cover renovations at the existing elementary and middle schools.
“I've gone back and forth for months on this issue,” said board member Greg Newbry. “But as of tonight I really feel it's important that we move forward and try to get these kids a new facility.”
Newbry wasn't alone in his opinion. Several members of the community including Dan Dawson and Tom Cage also felt it was the appropriate time to get the resolution on the November ballot.
“I've seen the progress the architects have made,” said Cage, a Facilities Steering Committee member. “We need to get this on the ballot in November.”
Modernizing the existing building had been the primary goal, but it was decided that this would not be cost efficient. “Every time we opened a wall to see what was there, we found substandard wiring and pipes where they shouldn't be,” said Jordan Knighton from NTD Architects.
Additionally, if the cost of modernizing an existing structure exceeded 50 percent of the replacement value, the state could throw in unknown amounts that the district would have to pay to cover the code elements. The required full-code building upgrades bring the cost of modernization to a similar level as that of constructing a replacement school. Also, during such a renovation the lives of the students and teachers would be disrupted daily.
“If we modernized the existing building It would be like putting many band-aids on a 30-year-old problem,” Newbry said.
By being good stewards of the dollar in this uncertain economy and increasing program spaces in the recent architectural design, Knighton gave his final Power Point presentation for the school board and community members before the final vote.
One of the main benefits of the revised renditions was the retention of the old high school gym. “Initially we were going to demolish the existing gym,” Knighton said. “But we took into consideration the community comments and left it where it presently exists.”
“Most years the kids can only play outside nine months out of the year,” Dan Dawson said. “We should do whatever we can to keep the old gym. We need the extra space. We as a community can figure out how to make it look great on the outside.”
If the bond passes in November, the new high school will be built behind the existing high school, allowing the students to remain in the old facility until the new one is complete in 2012.
There has been some mention that the $65 million bond measure will not increase taxes, but only extend a previous bond that was expiring this year.
“That is not true,” said James Maxey, Business Manager for the MUSD. He clarified by explaining that there are currently three bonds in effect: one started in 1998 and will expire in 2023; another started in 2000 and expires in 2034; and the the last started in 2001 with an expiration in 2026. There was a fourth bond that started in 1996 and would have expired in August of this year, but it has already been paid off.
The combined tax effect of the three concurrent bonds equals $16.60 for every $100,000 of assessed property value. The new bond measure in November would increase it by $14.20. The 'continuation' factor most likely refers to a stipulation of the 1998 bond measure that placed a cap of $30.80 on the tax increase needed to pay these bonds off. “I think it'll be exactly $30.80,” Maxey said of the increase to property tax if the bond passes.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 July 2008 )
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