Close vote on Evergreen schools bond measure

It was too close to call for Evergreen Public Schools’ bond resolution Tuesday night, when voters were only narrowly approving hundreds of millions of dollars in schools facilities spending over the next two decades.

Early results showed voters approving the $695 million measure with 60.12 percent support, barely passing the 60 percent threshold for victory. Early returns show 12,308 voted “yes,” while 8,165 voted “no.”

The news of Evergreen’s teetering lead rippled through a district party at Hopworks Urban Brewery in east Vancouver, where district administrators and campaign volunteers gathered on election night. Shortly after polls closed, Auditor Greg Kimsey called Superintendent John Steach to deliver the news while employees refreshed the Secretary of State’s website on their phones.

“A close vote is a close vote until it’s validated,” Steach said Kimsey told him. The results will be validated on Feb. 23.

Tanisha Harris and Christie Brown-Silva, co-chairs of the Evergreen Citizens for Schools committee, were cautiously optimistic. But Harris noted the 60 percent supermajority for school bonds can be a difficult bar to hit.

“With a supermajority, a lot of extra time and effort and energy goes into it,” Harris said.

The measure, if approved, will replace schools in Clark County’s largest district, construct a new elementary school and expand Heritage High School. It will also pay for technology and infrastructure improvements throughout the school district.

A full list of the district’s planned projects follows:

• Build a new elementary school.

• Replace Sifton, Marion, Image, Burton and Ellsworth elementary schools.

• Replace Wy’east Middle School.

• Replace Mountain View and Legacy high schools.

• Replace the district’s central offices.

• Construct a new addition to Heritage High School.

• Replace the 49th Street Academy.

• Build a new facility for special education transition students.

• Install new turf at all district high schools.

• Make technology and building improvements across the district.

The district is also expected to receive $95 million in state matching funds and $12 million in local development impact fees, bringing the overall package to $802 million if approved.

It’s been 16 years since the district last ran a successful bond measure. Voters approved a $167.9 million bond in 2002. But in 2008, voters rejected a $249.8 million bond measure.

“We’ve put it off for a decade,” Steach said of the bond. “It’s a little disappointing it wasn’t passing by more than this.”