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Bond Oversight Committee Meetings
February 24, 2022
September 23, 2021
May 20, 2021
March 18, 2021
Important Information Links
Proposed Bond School Projects
NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RENDERING
BOND MEASURE
MEASURED BOND UPDATE
Our Lemoore Union Elementary District Board of Trustees is pleased with the support of the community in passing the District’s first ever General Obligation Bond- Measure D, during the November 6, 2018 election. As part of the passing of the bond, we will be sharing with you our progress through our district newsletters, as well as on our website under the Measure D Bond Update web page. We will include updates in order for our school district and community to be aware of the progress we are making regarding the projects associated with our bond initiative.
In the days that followed the passing of Measure D, the district and Board of Trustees have been taking steps to prepare the plans to move the bond projects forward. We will continue to dedicate this webpage to updates related to the bond projects. Once again, thank you for supporting our Lemoore Union Elementary School District! The passage of the bond ensures we can continue to serve the needs of students today and for generations to come! Thank you Lemoore community!
Bond Updates:
The Board approved an agreement for Architectural Services with Mangini Associates, Inc. for the new elementary school project. The schematic design and development phase of the new elementary school project took place with various stakeholder involvement over the course of the 2018/2019 school year.
In January 2019, an Architectural Services Agreement was approved by the Board for the HVAC replacement at Lemoore Elementary School.
In February 2019, the Citizens Oversight Committee members were approved by the Board.
The bond rating process was completed in March 2019. The District received a very good rating. S&P issued a rating of A+. Bond sales occurred with the proceeds of the bond sale finalized on March 27, 2019. The District was issued $7.5 million of our General Obligation Bonds Election of 2018 series 2019 authorization.
In May 2019, the Board approved a Traffic Impact Analysis for the new elementary school project as well as approved the CEQA Compliance Services agreement.
The Board approved the Lease-Lease Back Construction Delivery Method and approved the Request for Proposals and Pre-construction Services Agreement for the new elementary school.
In June 2019, the Board approved the General Contractor and Construction Services Agreement, Site lease and Sublease agreement with Bush Construction, Inc. for the new elementary school project. Construction documents have been completed and are awaiting DSA review and approval.
The Board approved the Architectural Services Agreement for Bridges Academy relocation with Mangini Associates, Inc. to relocate the Bridges Academy classroom and restroom buildings. This project will be completed in the summer of 2020 concurrent with the construction of the new elementary school.
The members of the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee (BOC), appointed by the Board of Trustees, convene on August 22, 2019 to review their role and responsibilities serving on the BOC along with understanding and establishing their support of the District’s Bond work by providing updates to the Board of Trustees on the status of the schedule and expenditures related to bond-funded projects.
In November 2019, the board approved contract with M. Green and Company LLP for Bond Audit and contract for design build for HVAC project at Liberty Middle School to Schneider Electric.
The second bond rating process was completed in April 2020. The district received a very good rating. S&P issued a rating of A+. Bond sales occurred with the proceeds of the bond sale finalized on April 24, 2020. The district was issued $6.5 million of our General Obligation Bonds Election of 2018, Series 2020 authorization.
GroundBreaking for the new elementary school, Freedom Elementary took place on May 29, 2020. This event was delayed due to COVID-19 impacts.
Construction of the Freedom Elementary School site is on schedule as of March 2021. The school is set to open in August of 2021.
The official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Freedom Elementary took place on July 28, 2021. The school will open to serve our students on August 9, 2021. We thank the incredible partnership with Bush Construction Inc. and Mangini Associates along with the city of Lemoore for making this vision a reality for our district and our community.
Citizens Bond Oversight Committee
With the recent passage of Measure D, the Lemoore Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees approved qualified members of the community to serve on a Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to monitor how the district spends the $26 million expected from the sale of bonds over the next several years. Measure D provides that any funds raised be used for repairs, upgrades, and new construction projects at the District’s schools. The Citizens Bond Oversight Committee will be responsible for reviewing district expenditures to make sure bond funds are only used for projects specified in the voter-approved measure. In addition, the committee will keep the public informed about how the funds are being spent and will present an annual report to the district board on bond fund spending. The oversight committee is required by law to include at least seven members appointed by the school board from a list of candidates who are at least 18 and have submitted written applications.
Currently the Lemoore Union Elementary School District COC is comprised of 6 members and is actively seeking one member who is active in a bona-fide taxpayers association.
Member must be from groups defined by ED Code 15282 (a):
Each member serves without compensation for a term of one to two years, and no member may serve more than three consecutive terms. The committee meets up to four times a year.
Completed applications must be sent or dropped off at the Lemoore Union Elementary School District, 1200 West Cinnamon, Lemoore CA 93245 or emailed to bondoversight@myluesd.net.
BOND ACTIVITIES 2018
About the Bond- The Board has discussed facilities needs and anticipated enrollment growth in a series of community forums and Board workshops. Those conversations, in addition to the priorities of Lemoore residents that participated in the telephone poll surveys, have assisted the Board and District staff to establish the areas of focus that bond-funded projects would include:
* Construct a new elementary school to reduce student overcrowding
* Replace outdated heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, and lighting systems to be more energy efficient
* Renovate, repair, the interior and/or exterior of existing outdated classrooms, restrooms, library/media centers and school facilities
As part of the plan to meet the capacity needs of our growing school populations, the District will take these innovative, bold steps to support staff and students at all learning levels.
Survey Results – Isom Advisors conducted a live telephone survey with the Lemoore community, as requested by the District at the May 8, 2018 Board meeting. This was requested so that the Board and District leadership could receive input from voters related to their support of the districts need to address several facilities needs as identified as part of the Facilities Master Plan completed during the 2017/18 School year. The Board received the detailed findings of the General Obligation Bond Survey at the Board meeting on June 19, 2018. Responses received from those that participated in the survey, assisted the Board in identifying positive support for a school bond being placed on the November 2018 ballot.
Bond Measure Approved - During the first 2018/2019 regular monthly Board meeting for the Board of Trustees, on July 17, 2018, the Board unanimously (5-0) voted to approve a bond measure for the Lemoore Union Elementary School District to be on the November 6, 2018 ballot. The elections office has accepted our bond submission and we have been assigned Measure D for the 2018 election ballot.
Campaign Committee - A campaign committee has been organized to assist the District with communication and information-sharing related to the upcoming bond measure D.