Denver voters in November probably will be asked to approve a $453.5 million, 20-year school bond to pay for critical needs, maintenance, two new schools in northeast Denver and an upgrade to North High School.
A citizens committee that has been meeting for weeks on the bond issue will make its recommendation to the school board today at a lunchtime meeting.
“It’s things with a district as old as we are, things just need to be replaced,” said Bill Mosher, co-chairman of the Citizens Committee for Capital Needs. “It will be a buck or two a month, depending on how expensive your house is.”
If the board approves the amount for a 20-year bond, the cost for the bond will be $6 a year per every $100,000 of assessed valuation. Denver’s median home value is $230,900.
The district is seeking the money for a variety of needs. Most of the money, $273 million, will pay for critical and significant needs: maintenance and capital improvements such as roofs, boilers and fire systems.
Roofs on schools throughout the district are 30 to 35 years old, as are boilers. They must be replaced, Mosher said.
About $48.5 million will pay for two new schools in northeast Denver — a preschool through middle school and a high school.
The remaining amount, $37.6 million, will go to refurbish North High School. Most of that money would renovate the original 1911 school building.
The district has had recent success at getting voters to approve bond sales, including a $310.8 million bond in 2003.
The recommended amount of this $453.5 million bond, however, would be the largest request for Denver Public Schools in 18 years.
A series of community meetings will be held over the next few weeks to discuss the bond issue, including a public hearing Aug. 21.
The school board votes on the bond Sept. 2.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
Up for discussion
A list of the community meetings:
• Tuesday, 5:30-8 p.m., Montbello High School, 5000 Crown Blvd.
• Aug. 19, 5:30-8 p.m., Hill Middle School, 451 Clermont St.
• Aug. 20, 5:30-8 p.m., Abraham Lincoln High School, 2285 S. Federal Blvd.
• Aug. 23, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Career Education Center Middle College of Denver, 2650 Eliot St.
