School Board OKs $58 million building program

Thursday, April 1, 2004 | 9:30 a.m.

The Clark County School Board voted unanimously Wednesday to move ahead with plans for $58.47 million in new construction projects, including $4.9 million for a school police command center and nearly $18 million to build headquarters for the district's television station, KLVX Channel 10.

Voters approved a $3.5 billion capital improvement plan in 1998 to build 88 schools over the next decade as well as modernize existing campuses. But that bond money will not be used for the construction projects approved Wednesday. Instead, these projects will be paid for with the district's general fund, tax revenues and money that would otherwise have gone to lease property.

By investing in the projects, the district will save millions of dollars over the next decade that would otherwise have been spent leasing space, said Clark County Schools Superintendent Carlos Garcia.

"If the (School) Board had taken action on this 15 years, the buildings we've been paying rent on would be ours already," Garcia said. "What do we have to show for all the years of these leases?"

School Board President Susan Brager-Wellman, a Realtor for 15 years, said she is continually amazed at how quickly property values are increasing in the Las Vegas Valley. The current School Board has a responsibility to future generations to scoop up as much land as possible while it is still available and while a funding mechanism exists to pay for it, Brager-Wellman said.

"Schools will need to be built ... if that land is not secured now, we won't be able to get it," Brager-Wellman said.

The district's demographics office projects student enrollment will top 400,000 by 2012 and there will be a shortage of elementary classroom seats as early as 2008.

There's little question that Clark County -- and the school district -- will continue to grow, said School Board member Sheila Moulton. But one question that needs to be discussed is whether the district wants to have upward of 400,000 students, Moulton said.

"It's a question I hear from community members nearly every day -- how big are we going to let this district get," Moulton said. "I just want to make sure we have the resources for the classrooms."

While emphasizing that she didn't expect such an event to occur, Brager-Wellman said if the district did break off into smaller districts, each piece would likely be richer because of the investments made now.

"Whether we're all together or whether we're separated, students are still going to need seats, people will still need offices," Brager-Wellman said.

Louis Overstreet, executive director of the Urban Chamber of Commerce and a frequent critic of the district's construction program, said he has "serious concerns" about the district's plans.

With interest earnings and increased property values for Clark County the district could see a windfall of $300 million over the approved bond amount.

The district is currently behind schedule on its renovation program, with just 30 percent completed and four years remaining on the bond fund, Overstreet said.

"Being $173 million behind schedule doesn't exactly instill confidence in the voters," Overstreet said.

Walt Rulffes, the school district's deputy superintendent of operations, agreed with Overstreet's assessment that the district had fallen behind on renovations, but said since the School Board approved hiring additional construction department staff the final deadlines will be met.

During the last legislative session lawmakers instructed the district to replace 10 schools at a cost not to exceed $230 million in bond funds. As part of that requirement, the School Board identified five campuses for replacement -- McCaw, Manch, Taylor and Tom Williams elementary schools, as well as Burkholder Middle School.

The School Board also approved revising the district's capital improvement plan to include:

Distance education is a critical part of the district's future, said Agustin Orci, deputy superintendent of instruction. The district expects to have 350 students enrolled full-time in the virtual high school for the 2004-05 academic year with 10,000 students anticipated within five years.

The district's distance education program currently serves more than 4,000 students annually with special education, English Language Learner and credit retrieval programs. The virtual high school will allow students to do Advanced Placement course work and complete their entire high school requirements without ever setting foot on a comprehensive high school campus, Orci said.