On Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, the District 51 Board of Education approved the following bond measure language for the Nov. 2, 2021, ballot.
BALLOT ISSUE
SHALL MESA COUNTY VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 51 DEBT BE INCREASED $115 MILLION, WITH A MAXIMUM REPAYMENT COST OF NOT TO EXCEED $205.75 MILLION, AND SHALL TAXES BE INCREASED NOT MORE THAN $20.9 MILLION ANNUALLY BY THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS:
1) FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF REPLACING GRAND JUNCTION HIGH SCHOOL (CONSTRUCTED IN 1956) WITH A NEW HIGH SCHOOL ON THE SAME SITE AND RENOVATING THE EXISTING EAST GYM AND ART BUILDING ON THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS SITE (THE “PROJECT”); AND
2) REPLACEMENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL WILL INCLUDE IMPROVED CLASSROOMS, LEARNING SPACES AND FACILITIES BY EXPANDING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS TO MORE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, COLLEGE CREDIT COURSES AND VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS TRAINING CLASSES; AND
3) THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL WILL ALSO INCLUDE IMPROVED ART AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS; AND
4) WITH THE TAX INCREASE EXPIRING UPON THE REPAYMENT OF ANY BONDS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS BALLOT QUESTION; AND
WITH BONDS ISSUED AT SUCH TIME, AT SUCH PRICE, AND IN SUCH MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THIS BALLOT ISSUE, AND SHALL PROPERTY TAXES BE LEVIED AT A MILL LEVY SUFFICIENT IN EACH YEAR TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE DEBT AND ANY REFUNDING DEBT WHEN DUE, OR FOR A RESERVE THAT CAN ONLY BE USED TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON BONDS; PROVIDED THAT THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED BY THE DISTRICT FROM THE ISSUANCE OF THE BONDS AUTHORIZED BY THIS QUESTION SHALL NOT EXCEED $115 MILLION; AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT ANY PROCEEDS OF THE BONDS REMAINING AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE SHALL USED ONLY TO REPAY BONDS AND NOT USED FOR PROJECTS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THIS BALLOT QUESTION?
More about the Bond Measure
How much will it cost to rebuild Grand Junction High School?
The estimated project cost is $144.5 million. If passed, the bond measure would supply $115 million of the funding for the project. The rest will come from a $10 million Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant from the state and $19.5 million remaining from the 2017 Bond Measure.
How much will this bond measure cost homeowners?
An exact figure won't be available until the county finishes this year's property assessment work, but the owner of a $300,000 home will pay less than $3 per month, according to current estimates.
Is the plan to rebuild the entire school?
The project will supply a completely new high school. However, the project does include plans to preserve the current school's east gym and art building, which are newer parts of the GJHS campus.
What will the new school look like?
The design for a new Grand Junction High School is a three-story building on the northeast part of the current campus. The design will allow construction to take place while students continue to attend the 1400 N. 5th St. building. The design keeps the track where it is and calls for building parking and sports fields on the land currently occupied by the existing buildings after students move into the new school and the old buildings are demolished (except for the art building and east gym).
Why build on the existing site?
Building on the existing site saves taxpayers the expense of purchasing new land for the high school. It also isn't necessary to move - the soil under GJHS is the same as soil found pretty much anywhere else in city limits, including right next door at the growing CMU campus. The structural issues that led to cracks and sinking in Grand Junction High School's foundation are the result of poor construction in 1955, when the main building was built. More modern construction practices will install dozens of piles under the new foundation to anchor the building to hard shale, rather than clay, and result in a more stable foundation.
How do bond measures work?
If voters approve a bond measure, the district is authorized to sell bonds to investors in the amount of the bond (in this case, $115 million). The district pays back the investors with interest over time using a temporary property tax increase that voters approved specifically for the bond measure when they voted for it. When the bonds are paid off, the property tax increase goes away.