A building so unstable that Holly School District officials are considering using cables to hold it together; a new heating and ventilation system to protect students from fumes and extreme temperatures in an Ellicott School District building; and new plumbing in the Sanford School District, where cafeteria walls have absorbed so much water they are crumbling.
These are among the 27 projects for schools that a state Capital Construction Grant Program committee is recommending the state fund out of a settlement approved by the state legislature five years ago.
The state received applications for 131 projects, totaling about $41 million. But the legislature approved only $5 million in spending for the year.
That amount has been a source of frustration for committee members and school advocates around the state. The legislature agreed to fund $190 million over 11 years. And this year, $20 million was supposed to be made available.
But with the recession, funding has been limited, said state Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, who attended Thursday’s meeting in which the committee selected projects.
The funds were the result of a lawsuit filed against Colorado in 1998 by parent John Giardino, claiming state funding for school construction was inadequate.
The final decision will be made by the Colorado Board of Education next week.
Meanwhile, the November ballot includes a referendum that, if passed, would fund the balance in the Giardino suit.
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at 303-820-1684 or krouse@denverpost.com.
