Othello School Board to consider capital levy request

OTHELLO — The Othello School Board will consider a recommendation at its Oct. 28 meeting about a possible capital request to be put before voters in 2027, probably in February. Othello Superintendent Pete Perez said it won't be a capital bond for construction or remodeling. 

"There will not be a bond in February 2027," Perez said. "There is real strong potential there will be a capital levy." 

The recommendation will be the first result of a months-long study by a committee looking at the district's current and future facility needs. Members of the "Future-Ready Schools" committee also have looked at the possibility of a construction bond sometime in the next few years – but not in 2027. 

Assistant Superintendent Josh Meek told board members at the Sept. 14 meeting that there are deadlines that must be met. 

"While I say no decisions have been made, I anticipate that by late October the Future-Ready Schools team will be ready to present a recommendation for the capital levy component of it," Meek said. 

If the board opts to ask voters for a capital levy, the district would need to submit the request to the auditors in Adams, Grant and Franklin counties by Dec. 11 for inclusion on the February ballot.

"That would require that you take some official action by a resolution in November," he said. "The special election would be Feb. 9, 2027." 

Meek said that the projects proposed for the capital levy are at schools and other facilities throughout the district.

"The roof at Lutacaga (Elementary). The pavement (projects) are (at the transportation facility) and a couple of other facilities. Playgrounds at all of our elementary schools," Meek said. "The gyms are actually an issue for the schools that don't have both a cafeteria and a gym, because it interrupts their academic programming. A food service warehouse." 

Washington law sets a maximum term of six years for a capital levy in most circumstances, according to the Washington Department of Revenue. Within that limit, how long the levy term would last would be up to the school board. Meek said board members could opt to cease collecting the capital levy if district voters approved a construction bond.

"For example, let's say the recommendation is to run it for six years, but with that commitment that when a bond was passed, we would cease collection on (the capital levy)," Meek said. "I think that's definitely the feeling of the Future-Ready Schools team, that we wouldn't ask people to double up on that, if you will."

Board member Isauro Pruneda said any proposal would have to include language requiring any subsequent school board to honor the commitment to suspend collection of the capital levy if a bond is passed.

"We could possibly be off this board, and we'd have to keep the board that's coming accountable. 'Hey, we made this deal. We honored it and you need to,'" Pruneda said. 

Othello High School would get a few upgrades from the capital levy, but district officials are reluctant to put money in a facility that could be upgraded or replaced in a few years. A new or remodeled OHS is the focus of the ongoing discussions of the facilities committee.