VISTA – School board trustees have moved forward with a plan to use Measure LL facility bond funds for much-needed upgrades at Bobier Elementary School.
In 2018, voters approved a $247 million bond initiative to repair and upgrade classrooms across the district. The Vista Unified School District board has already committed $128 million of those funds to various projects, leaving approximately $120 million for the board to decide how to spend.
In late July, the board approved using Measure LL bond funds to move Bobier Elementary School into the construction phase of its long-awaited upgrades, which are expected to cost about $57 million.
Trustee Rosemary Smithfield said moving forward on Bobier was a “no brainer” given the many problems its campus has, noting ceiling blocks falling on students and problems with mold in the past.
“I don’t want us to stop again on Bobier,” Smithfield said. “It’s bad.”
During the design phase of Bobier, the process was paused due to roadblocks that required further geotechnical analyses.
“Now, with more information, we’re bringing it back to an active phase,” said Supt. Matt Doyle.
The board is also considering using some or most of the remaining Measure LL money on Beaumont Elementary School upgrades. Like Bobier, Beaumont’s campus has also required further geotechnical analysis due to a stormwater runoff problem causing water to intrude into classrooms.
Bobier and Beaumont are expected to replace portable classrooms with permanent structures. However, Beaumont will also require additional work to address roofing and mold issues in its existing building.
For now, the plan is to gather additional information on the next steps for Beaumont before the board commits Measure LL money to the project.
Staff is also expected to bring back additional details about the district’s fire alarm, communication, and sewer systems to determine if those areas need to be prioritized for money.
