On a 6-3 vote, the Dallas School Board accepted a bond agreement from PNC Bank to fund a new school to replace Dallas Elementary at a cost not to exceed $39.5 million.
School board members Sherri Newell, Kristin Pitarra, Larry Schuler, Patrick Musto, Charles Preece and Catherine Wega voted to support the agreement.
Jeff Thomas, James Gattuso Jr. and Gary Youngblood voted against it, citing reasons ranging from poor economic climate to wanting to see alternative plans that could cut the cost of building a new school.
"I don't believe the board fully vetted the three building options," which would involve redistributing students among Wycallis Elementary, the middle and high school buildings, Thomas said.
Gattuso said he would like to see the board take more time to review the new school option and three- to five-year projections.
The vote secured a parameter bond proposal presented by David Payne, a financial adviser at PNC Bank, at a May 8 meeting.
At that time, Payne told the district the "high parameter" for school construction would be between $16 million and $20 million.
The fund resolution attached to the meeting agenda stated: "The bonds in one or more series shall be issued in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $39.5 million."
The bond funding would be earmarked for construction of a new elementary school to replace the aging, prefabricated 45-year old structure.
Before casting her vote, Wega clarified with Payne and Musto that if the board does not use all the funding, would they be held liable for it?
Thomas rephrased the same question: "What is our liability if we decide not to use the funding?"
Payne said the district would be responsible only for costs associated with advertising the project.
Parents in the audience questioned board members about the timing of the project due to the ongoing teacher negotiations.
"What good is a new school if there are no teachers in it?" one parent asked.
"Contracts are on the other side of the budget," said Musto. "Contracts are an expense. Capital improvements are an asset."
In 2013, a committee was formed to consider options for the deteriorating Dallas Elementary, Musto said.
"Four years later, and we are still talking about it," he said.
Dallas Elementary Principal Thomas Traver, who had worked in the building since 1997, gave a first-hand account of the building's flaws and the ongoing attempts to keep the facility safe and functional for students and teachers.
Traver described the heating, air conditioning and ventilation system as a "patchwork quilt."
"The heating coils the system uses are not made anymore," Traver explained.
The roof is made out of "sandwich panels," consisting of corrugated cardboard sandwiched between panels. It has been repaired and supported numerous times.
"The building has outlived its usefulness," Traver said.
On Wednesday, two classrooms were closed to students when a 5-inch by 7-inch piece of wall peeled, revealing a "damaged, stained wall beneath," Superintendent Thomas Duffy said.
The district contacted SERVPRO to clean and fix the problem.
Taxes to increase
In other news, board members passed a $38,294,170 proposed final budget with a 7-2 vote. The spending plan will raise taxes.
Board members Thomas and Gattuso voted against it.
The proposed final budget will increase the tax millage by 2.24 percent to 13.4323 mills. A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in assessed value.
District business manager Grant Palfey said the increase is below the state threshold of 3 percent and will create a $46.03 tax increase on properties valued at $152,975.
The final proposed budget will be presented to the school board June 19.
