GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Gridley Unified School District recently held one of two informational meetings about Measure J, a $16.3 million bond that is on the November 8^th ballot.

If passed, the bond would allot the district $16.3 million in funding from taxpayer dollars within the Gridley Unified School District and Manzanita School District areas as it is intended to “improve, enhance and replace” high school facilities. The bond would be pulled over a 30-year period, potentially in series, and the dollar amount would be dictated by taxpayers’ assessed property values.

According to representatives from the district, a specific dollar amount per assessed property value cannot be accurately estimated at this time due to many factors – they cited future fluctuations and population growth within the district, the possibility of the district pulling the funds in multiple series over time, even the state of the economy as impacting the cost assessed per taxpayer.

At its first meeting on Monday, October 17^th, GUSD Superintendent Justin Kern along with Gridley High School Principal Rikki-Lee Burresch addressed those that turned out for the meeting, breaking down what Measure J would mean for the district and the high school, which is intended to benefit from the bond. GUSD School Board president Eric Waterbury was also in attendance, jumping in where necessary to answer or clarify any questions posed by the public.

The high school is currently looking at multiple projects around its campus that the bond would help fund. If the bond passes, the money would be used to support those projects and open the district up to apply for 60/40 matching funds through the state for modernization and potentially a 50/50 match of funding for new construction.

Currently planned for the high school is a new $8-million, 8-classroom facility located between the 400 wing and the Ag buildings on the western side of the school near the back of the campus. This building is being funded by the district and will have a designated space for severely handicapped students, a room designed for the CTE Health Pathway and 4 other classrooms that would absorb the 500 wing – a series of portable classrooms which also sit towards the back of the campus. If Measure J passes, it could potentially allow the district to use bond money toward the construction of the 8-classroom facility and free up funding for other school sites.

The district hopes to break ground on the new 8-room building in 2023. According to Kern and Waterbury, this would realize Phase 1 of a 3-phase proposed modernization project that the district hopes to complete at the high school with the funds generated by the passing of Measure J. Phase 2 would be the removal of the 500 wing after the development of the new 8-classroom building. If Measure J passes, construction of a quad area and 4 new classrooms in the footprint of the former 500 wing would commence. The 4 new rooms would house lab-style classrooms and condense the science classrooms into one wing.

Phase 3 is hoped to target the existing locker-room facilities and build a multipurpose building between the current locker rooms and the football field. This building would potentially serve as a locker room, indoor facility for some sports training, an area for plays, musical events and more.

Technically, the $16.3 million bond would fund the development of the four lab classrooms, quad area and multipurpose facility that were discussed as parts of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of improvements at the GHS campus.

Superintendent Kern then opened the discussion to the public for a Q & A session. Concerns were raised about what this would look like for taxpayers monetarily, why very little has been mentioned about the bond measure until recently, and concerns about other schools within the district that are in need of improvements or expansions – most notably Wilson and McKinley schools – based on the meeting’s discussions.

The district was hesitant to speak about dollar amounts due to the inability to accurately estimate the impact that the bond would have on individual taxpayers. In answer to the question of why many in the public are just hearing about Measure J, Waterbury informed that the measure has appeared on past GUSD School Board Meeting agendas and Superintendent Kern made clear that the district cannot instruct voters to vote in favor of the measure and is not doing so, but that they were there to address questions/concerns regarding the bond. Worries of the public were heard and noted about other school facilities throughout the district, again with Wilson and McKinley schools being of most concern.

After the Q & A portion, the group was privy to a tour of the high school facilities in question, beginning with the locker rooms, followed by a look at the 500 wing and Ag facilities. The tour was intended to allow the public to view the areas the district is looking to improve. Conditions of the areas toured echoed the sentiments from the district that improvements at the high school were needed, but it ultimately comes down to the question of funding.

GUSD and GHS are planning another public information meeting on Monday, October 24^th at 5:30 pm in the GHS library for those that we unable to attend the meeting on the 17^th. Residents that the bond may impact are invited to attend and have their questions or concerns addressed.