JILL SCHRAMM/MDN A portable classroom building sits behind the Surrey school. Safety issues with the portable's connection to the school building require attention if the classrooms are to remain in use.

Tough decisions are on the horizon for the Surrey Public School District in the wake of a defeated $5.8 million bond issue during the June 9 school election.

The Surrey Public Schools Board held a special meeting on Tuesday, June 23, to inform constituents of the district’s mitigation plans in light of the failure of the bond issue, which fell just short of reaching the required 60% of votes for passage.

School board president Daniel Tyler stressed no decisions were being made at the meeting, which instead would cover possible mitigation strategies as the district prepares to file another bond issue for the November election.

The bond had sought funding to address aging portable classrooms, as well as safety concerns with the connection between the portables and the main school building along with other structural concerns.

“We won’t be really informed until after the fire marshal gives us the priority order of work, and once we find out the costs associated with that we will be able to decide from there,” Tyler said. “What I do know is that we have an incredible staff, and we’re going to be OK. We’re going to figure it out, and we will re-engage in November going forward.”

Interim Superintendent Luke Schaefer said the walkthrough with the fire marshal will be held on Friday, June 26, and the Department of Public Instruction and State Fire Marshal are going to prioritize items that represent the largest safety violations that need to be corrected. Schaefer indicated if the fire marshal deems the portables or the connection to be unsafe, it could prevent the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

Schaefer credited the school board for keeping its costs low on a cost per student basis compared to other districts in the state, but there isn’t any further wiggle room to make cuts to school staff and student transportation. Schaefer said the district is at half the state average on costs for building operations and maintenance. Schaefer said extracurriculars represented 3% of the district’s budget, with $177,000 spent in total.

“This is one of the reasons we find ourselves in the predicament we are in. It’s also one of the reasons we had several questions in community meetings – ‘Why haven’t you updated the windows or done some of these things.’ And the answer is you’ve kept costs very low and that’s put off any sort of maintenance that could be done,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer said the existing building fund of about $270,000 can be used to address some of the fire code issues, but a number of additional needs have been cropping up, including leaking windows in some classrooms, refinishing the gym floor and putting in new flooring in some areas.

Schaefer said any reductions to extracurriculars would be a tough sell for the public and would have to be made across the board for all of the programs to avoid falling foul of Title IX rules. Schaefer presented different levels of cuts to all the programs, which could affect assistant coaches and possible trips for athletics, but couched it by saying the savings would be limited.

A 15% reduction for all athletics would save $24,727, and allow all the programs to continue. Another option would involve targeted reductions to larger budgeted sports such as basketball, for a savings of $27,000.

The third option proposed by Schaefer would suspend a program for the upcoming school year, which would create immediate savings but would be the most “destructive option.” Schaefer said suspension would be critical if funds can’t be generated in other ways and would likely target programs with a larger slice of pie.

Schaefer also reviewed possible avenues for the November referendum but said the best options are a safety fund or a bond referendum, both of which require an election.

Schaefer’s recommended strategy involved moving forward with a November bond referendum, dedicating 80% to the building fund fire code issues, and reducing extracurricular spending. If the bond fails in November, Schaefer suggested pursuing the safety levy.

“I am leaving Surrey at the end of this year, so I will pull no punches. I have only the best interest of your school district at heart. I have no relationships that I must keep in place. The board may hate me after this recommendation. The public may hate me, the teachers, the coaches and the students, but this is what I believe is the best for your school,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer highlighted that the June vote was just five votes short, and the general election turnout could result in more yes votes. Schaefer recommended the district engage with the fire marshal to ensure availability for any future public meetings on the issue.

Schaefer suggested suspending football for one year, to be reviewed annually, pointing out the district is still looking for a coach and the program has seen limited participation in comparison to its costs. Smaller cuts to other programs also would be on the table, ceasing any purchases beyond absolute necessities. The total savings would amount to $38,400.

“Your kids have resilience unlike many I have met. Making some of these decisions will impact them. If you suspend football, there will be boys who won’t get to play football this year. It’s too late to join a co-op, which means they would just be out. Knowing all of that, I still rest easy with this recommendation because it’s what’s best for your school,” Schaefer said. “If I could urge anything at all, it would be to pursue the vote in November and ensure that the community knows what this is for. Because if the fire marshal ever comes in and shuts down those portables, you will have eight classrooms of kids with nowhere to be taught”

Schaefer said he hoped to work with local churches and the senior center to form an agreement to utilize their spaces but opined it would not be conducive to a quality education.

“I wish I had great news to end on. A trick up my sleeve to give you. You’re in a place where your community needs to decide if they want this building to be highly functional and safe. That’s the place you are at, and the only way they can find out is to carry forward again in November,” Schaefer concluded.