A bond is for building. It provides immediate funds for long-term capital projects such as modernization of buildings, new school construction or acquisition of property. A bond is financed over a longer period of time, up to 20 years, like a mortgage. The district pays off its bonds in an average of 10-12 years. The bond requires a super majority to pass (60% + 1) and must meet validation requirements.

The bond helps the district maintain its schools and provide a safe environment for Othello students to support learning. The bond measure addresses overcrowding at all schools through additional classroom space detailed in the proposition description. It also supports the district’s need for central warehouse storage for the food service program and funding replacement of aging infrastructure such as HVAC in the 600 wing at OHS.  The 600 wing is eligible for state matching funds to replace the 10 classrooms through new – in lieu (remove and replace the facility) plus construct an additional eleven classrooms.

Districts sell bonds and pay them back over 20 years in order to get enough funding up front to pay for construction of new schools or major school additions. While bonds pay for buildings, levies pay for learning. Levies are collected every year over a three-year period to fund day-to-day educational needs not funded by the state government.

In the bond, updates and additions will be made across the district.  OHS will benefit from state match funds to remove and replace the 600 wing (10 classrooms), plus an additional 11 classrooms for a total of 21 new classrooms.  A new gymnasium with seating capacity of 1500 will be built on the OHS campus, providing space for full student body assemblies.  Additional classroom space will be added at MMS to accommodate moving 6th grade students back to MMS.  Scootney, Hiawatha and Lutacaga will benefit from the addition of a gymnasium at each campus.  The addition will address the space/program issue related to the dual space use of the current gym for meals and physical education, at the same time. The additional space at the elementaries will provide equity in program space across the four elementary schools (each school will have a separate space for student meals and physical education). Construct a Central Warehouse facility for food service storage (dry, cold and freezer storage); increased operational efficiency through combining the multiple delivery, storage areas into a central location.

Three of our current elementary schools utilize their gym space as a cafeteria.  At Wahitis, our newest elementary, we were able to add separate spaces for food service and for our physical education and cafeteria space.  This has been proven to be more efficient for our buildings.  It  allows the school to explore different lunch schedules without impacting the physical education program and to utilize the cafeteria space for large and small groups of students, pull out programs, and even another space for staff to eat lunch, as well as a meeting space.

As our enrollment has grown, so has the demand for our food services department. Our current frozen, refrigerated and dry storage capacity does not meet our needs. The Food Services warehouse is currently located on the OHS campus.  

We have added several freezer and refrigerated trailers for storage at different locations. These were a quick short term solution, but this is not an efficient or sustainable practice.  Creating a central warehouse will bring these items to one location with more efficient and practical space.

We also have a need for a larger dry storage space for our food service programs. This will create efficiency and sustainability to our program.  A central warehouse located on an off school campus site will help improve efficiency by creating a central location for deliveries, distribution, and storage and not be an interruption to the school learning environment.

Unlike a levy, a bond requires a super majority and validation. A super majority is 60% plus one vote of the total votes cast. For a bond to pass the election must also be validated, meaning voter turn out must be equal to 40% of the voters who cast ballots in the last general election. That’s why it is so important to cast your vote in every election.

Washington has seen explosive growth in the past decade and portable classrooms have been used throughout our state to meet large and steady increases in enrollment. According to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, there are currently 6,011 classrooms housed in 4,910 portables in our state. Of those portables, 41 are here in Othello housing 41 classroom and program spaces.  Portables will continue to be used for pull out programs, meeting space, office space, storage, and student enrollment growth.

The election is February 8, 2022. Ballots will be mailed to voters on January 21, 2022.

Over the past several years, parents, community members, and district staff have worked together to develop a capital facility plan that makes sense for our community and its children. To support our plan to keep pace with development and enrollment increases, we will ask voters to consider a multi-project bond proposition on the February 8, 2022 ballot. This bond measure addresses the immediate facility space needs.  The OSD Capital Project Planning Workgroup will continue to meet to discuss and compile a long range facility plan (10-20 year plan).  That plan is projected to be ready to present to the school board in Summer/Fall 2022.

Proposition: Capital Projects Bond will add much needed capacity, easing overcrowding district wide, while also addressing equity issues. The bond provides for:

•  Additional classroom space and gym at the Othello High School; New in Lieu classroom space (600 wing – note the issues with that bldg[GB3] ).
•  Additional classroom space at MMS, relocate 6th grade back to MMS
• This results in capacity at the K-5 Elementary schools
•  Central Warehouse facility

Gymnasiums – 3 gymnasiums (1 at Scootney, Hiawatha and Lutacaga[GB4] ); gyms are instructional space; also reduces overlapping use of gym and foodservice for student meals

The simplest way to remember is Bonds are for Building and Levies are for Learning.

Levy money is used to cover the costs of basic education, maintenance, operation and transportation costs not covered by the state. Levy money also provides for music, arts, drama, sports and clubs, which have long been the responsibility of local communities.

Bonds are a lot like the mortgage on a home, and can only be used for building, renovations and capital improvements. The Capital Projects Bond will be used to add additional classroom space and a 1500 student body gym at OHS; additional classroom space and multipurpose space at MMS; Central Warehouse for dry, freezer and cold storage for food service and three gymnasiums (physical education classroom space), locations include Scootney Springs, Lutacaga and Hiawatha Elementary Schools.  Currently, Wahitis is the only elementary school with a gym and a separate lunchroom.  The additional gymnasiums at the other elementary schools will provide equity in instructional space across the elementary schools.

Resolutions were drafted using the recommendations of the capital project workgroup based on work and study on the issues. Our School Board will review the resolutions on November 16, 2021, with a second reading on November 22, 2021. If there is board approval on the 22nd, the measure will go before voters in the Feb. 8, 2022 election.

Proposition 1: Capital Projects Bond  $51 million

Tax rates are based on the assessed property value of your home, which is expressed in the rate per every $1,000 of value.

For a house valued at $250,000, the $51 million Capital Projects Bond would cost $1.14/$1000 assessed value, or $23.75 per month or $285 each year. The district only collects up to the amount approved by voters regardless of assessed property valuation. These estimated figures do not take into consideration new homes being built or new commercial business being added to the tax rolls, which would result in decreased taxes for existing homeowners.

In an election, voters are asked to approve or reject a total bond and/or levy amount. The tax rate is based on assessed property values. If the assessed property values change, then the tax rate changes.

The assessed value is the dollar value assigned to a property for purposes of measuring applicable taxes. Assessed valuation is used to determine the value of a residence for tax purposes and takes comparable home sales and inspections into consideration. Assessed property value is determined by the assessor’s office in your county.

No. When school districts run bond and levy measures, they request a set amount from local taxpayers. When more people move into a community, there are more taxpayers to share the cost. For example, if you buy a $10 pie alone, the cost to you is $10. If four people share the pie, each person only pays $2.50. The pie seller still gets $10. No matter how many people move to the district, the cost of the “pie” remains the same.

No. Voters approve a fixed collection amount that does not increase regardless of what happens to assessed value.

This plan is a collaborative effort representing the hard work of parents, community members, teachers and district staff who served on facility planning committees and workgroups over the past several years. The plan is a compilation of decisions resulting in a road map for our schools that is truly community-driven and student focused. The Othello School District thanks these dedicated teams that have worked to build plans to meet the needs of our students today and into the future. To see more about the work these group did, visit the below link.

Capital Project Planning Workgroups

State law provides two tax benefit programs for senior citizens and the disabled: property tax exemptions and property tax deferrals. For more information on if you might qualify, please contact your county assessor's office: 

Adams County Assessor -Veronica Rodriguez veronicar@co.adams.wa.us or call 509-659-3200

Franklin County Assessor -  John A. Rosenau assessor@co.franklin.wa.us or call (509) 545-3506

Grant County Assessor - Melissa McKnight mrm@grantcountywa.gov  or call  509-754-2011, ext. 2610

If voters did not approve the bond and/or levies, the school board would make a decision on whether or not to re-run the measures. It is costly to re-run a measure.

The Capital Bond would provide a longer-term solution to address overcrowding at all facilities, provide permanent classroom space for current enrollment, repair and replace infrastructure (HVAC) at the HS.

Please contact the Communications Department at 509.488-2659 or epetersen@othelloschools.org.