In 2017, UUSD employees, local community members, and facilities experts worked together to create a Facilities Master Plan to identify and prioritize school repair needs and costs at all schools. The final Master Plan approved by the Board identified more than $70 million in immediate unfunded code and maintenance needs and more than $150 million for additional updates to our schools.
“Our facilities need important upgrades for our students to have opportunities to learn in improved academic environments. We continually address small problems as they arise and make campus improvements, but there are not enough funds to address all the needs at our schools,” stated Superintendent Deb Kubin. “This measure reflects our strong community commitment to provide a safe and modern learning environment for every one of our students.”
Several UUSD facilities have leaky roofs, deteriorating plumbing and sewer systems, and inadequate electrical and ventilation systems. On nearly every campus, portable classrooms have outlived their 20-year lifespan and are still being used daily. In addition, all-weather fields at Ukiah High School have also been reviewed and reported to the Board by Ukiah Unified’s Artificial Turf Field Committee, citing a need to serve more than 1,200 students daily.
Other facility-related needs include enhancing campus safety across the district like new fencing and updated communications systems. Modernizing outdated classrooms, including those focused on Career and Technical Education, is also in the plans.
If approved, the bond measure would generate $75 million in locally controlled funding to repair and upgrade local schools. The proposed measure would extend the current tax rate to $50 per $100,000 of assessed value (not market value) annually, for as long as bonds are outstanding. Assessed value is based on the original purchase price of a home and is often lower than the current market value. With this funding secured, Ukiah Unified would be eligible for about $20 million in matching funds from the State of California.
Mandatory fiscal accountability provisions are written into the measure to ensure the proper use of funds. A citizen’s oversight committee, annual audits, and detailed project list are all required, and legally, no funds could be used for administrators’ salaries. All funds must be used locally to improve our local schools, meaning nothing could be taken away by the state or federal government.