Proposition no. 7 is on the ballot for the special election on Feb. 13
Despite ongoing maintenance, Battle Ground Public Schools’ buildings are aging. Many roofs and heating/cooling systems are nearing the end of their warranty. Students taking classes in the construction trades, culinary arts and health sciences do not have sufficient space or equipment. Technology has become outdated.
To address these issues, as well as enhance security, Battle Ground Public Schools is asking voters to consider a capital levy. Proposition no. 7 is on the ballot for the special election on Feb. 13, 2024.
Voters will have an opportunity to learn about the levy in upcoming community presentations that will share facts about the levy.
- Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Webinar (link: https://bit.ly/3RycKPm). The webinar will be recorded.
- Thursday, Jan. 25, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lewisville Campus, Room C-26, 406 NW Fifth Ave., Battle Ground, WA. This is an in-person presentation.
Both presentations are open to the public.
If the capital levy is approved by local voters, all schools in the district would receive updates. Projects include:
- Increasing security through entry controls and security cameras
- Repairing roofs and improving or upgrading heating and cooling systems
- Creating learning spaces for construction trades, culinary and health science
- Updating technology, including computers, phones and the district’s wireless network
The estimated rate per $1,000 of assessed property value would be $0.44 for each of the three years of the capital levy. Collection would begin in 2025.
The levy rate would be the same as the rate for a bond that expired at the end of 2023. The expired bond rate also was $0.44 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Information provided by Battle Ground School District.
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Be careful of what you vote for… BGSD’s levy is only addressing superficial issues to the schools. The security upgrades that were started in the older schools and promised to be completed over Christmas Break 2022 are still not completed and there is no sense of urgency to finish them. Replacing HVAC units when schools have doorways and windows that are not properly sealed doesn’t make a lot of sense. Classroom doors cannot be locked from the inside at some schools – the teacher or staff member must go out of the room to lock them. Resurfacing asphalt playgrounds or providing bark chips for playground areas seems to be a challenge every year for the district to do – and students are injured because of this.
BGSD has hoped for years that putting a minimal amount of time and money into maintaining the older schools would get the public to vote for a bond for new construction and this has failed (and upsets leadership). This levy is just another avenue for the district to try and get funding for “pet projects” under the guise of facility upgrades/improvements.
Battle Ground Capital Levy – Feb 2024 (swweducation.org)