Durango School District 9-R’s Ballot Issue 4A passed by a large margin Tuesday, enabling the district to build a new elementary school in Three Springs.
According to unofficial final results, a little over 60% of La Plata County residents voted in favor of the $150 million school bond which will be dedicated to building the new school, affordable housing solutions for teachers and more deferred maintenance.
Ballot Issue 4A will cost homeowners about $14 per month, or $168 annually, for a home valued at $500,000, in order to provide a $150 million bond to the district.
“Durango has not in recent memory turned down an education ask, and that's just a testament to this community and how much they value education,” said 9-R board member Rick Petersen.
Concerns were raised about the district’s lack of a plan for affordable housing solutions. However, it seems that voters found the proposed district upgrades important enough to approve a bond, which will lead to a new mill levy for property owners.
With the ability to fund a new school at Three Springs, the district will be able to relocate the bus depot, currently located on Colorado Highway 3, to Florida Mesa Elementary School. Florida Mesa would then be closed, and students would attend the new school in Three Springs.
“It's going to be a long process and we’ve got to start getting plans and architects in place,” Petersen said.
The bus depot property could then potentially be used to create affordable housing for teachers and staff. The new school in Three Springs was estimated to cost $50 million on its own.
Petersen said the next step for the district is to develop an independent bond oversight committee to oversee the district’s bond spending. He added that the district will continue to work with community partners to develop affordable housing solutions for staff.
He said the Highway 3 property is a prime piece of real estate for development.
The bond would also allow the district to consider consolidating its leased properties into the Florida Mesa building as one possible option. Currently, the district spends about $400,000 annually on leased properties.
A bond issue passed in 2020 allocated funds to Mountain Middle School for a new building and Animas High School for its new school building. This time, the district will not be allocating funds to local nondistrict charter schools for infrastructure.
The district plans to include local charter schools in a partnership for staff housing. While state law only allows the district to build housing for its own staff, the district is seeking ways to partner with other educational entities to maximize housing opportunities for educators.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
