Building Pride; Building Success

A report on completion of the 2013 Klamath County School District facilities bond

Building Pride Building Success

Herald & News

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Sunday, May 20, 2018 — heraldandnews.com

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Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Building Pride — Building Success

Henley Elementary December 2014 Photo courtesy Adkins Construction

INSIDE: One for the history books: Looking back at impacts of the 2013 Klamath County School District bond.

Page 3 Community effort: Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC gets community behind project.

Page 7 staying on budget: Klamath County School District works to make taxpayer dollars stretch.

Page 9

Henley Elementary students practice bike safety at the new school in May 2017.

Getting to work: School district works with Klamath Basin contractors on projects.

Page 16

Improvement projects continue in the Klamath County School District, including new bleachers for Lost River Jr./ Sr. High installed in August 2017, and new classrooms for Peterson Elementary, to be finished for the 2018-19 school year.

What’s next?

A voter-approved facilities bond expires, but the work continues.

Page 20

KCSD file photos by Samantha Tipler

This Herald and News publication was done in partnership with the Klamath County School District.

This publication is copyrighted under Klamath Publishing LLC doing business as the Herald and News (c) 2017. All rights reserved.

Building Pride — Building Success

One for the history books Looking back at impacts of the 2013 Klamath County School District bond

By SAMANTHA TIPLER: Klamath County School District

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

F

ive years ago, the voters of Klamath County made a decision: they wanted to invest in the Klamath County School District.

On May 21, 2013, voters approved a $31 million bond to build a new Henley Elementary and bring improvements to all 20-plus schools throughout the district.

“It was historical because it was the first bond that had been passed in our district in almost 40 years,” said Klamath County School District Superintendent Greg Thede. “It was a long time coming. It was a big deal for our district and I think a big deal for our community.”

Prior to the new Henley Elementary, the newest school in the district

was Keno Elementary, built in 1976.

“For two generations our public did not contribute directly to bonds and the improvement of our schools,” said Klamath County School Board Member Steve Lowell.

“It had been four decades since there had been a major investment,” said Todd Kepple, chairman of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC. “There was an obvious need for some updating, as well as building an honest to goodness school for Henley Elementary.”

See HISTORY, page 4

KCSD photo by Samantha Tipler

Henley Elementary Students walk beneath a “welcome” sign as they begin their day. The school, opened Jan. 4, 2016, was built through a voter-approved bond in 2013.

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Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Building Pride — Building Success

‘It’s a better learning environment for the students. It’s a better working environment for the teachers and staff. It’s a night-and-day difference on some of those buildings.’

— Renèe Ferguson, KCSD director of business services

HISTORY, from page 3 The original 1929 Henley Elementary was condemned in 2006 and demolished in 2010. Since 2007, students attended school in modular buildings. The students used the gym and cafeteria at nearby Henley High School, but getting there meant walking outside, often in rain, sleet or snow. They had no hallways, no common space to gather as a school.

The district had tried to pass a $74.9 million bond in 2006, but voters turned it down. This sent a strong message to the district.

Between 2008 and 2013, the KCSD spent $11.4 million on maintenance and $17 million on capital projects. Leading up to the 2013 election, the district and school board retooled the list of projects the bond would fund, prioritizing the highest needs and making sure all the schools received improvements.

The district cut the price-tag of the bond by more than half, reducing the total bond amount to $31 million. The Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC promoted the bond during the election season.

On election night, voters said yes. The bond passed by 150 votes: 5,383 yes votes to 5,233 no votes.

“I think that people are proud of our buildings and proud of what the district accomplished,” Lowell said

H&N file photos

Brian Brown, an engineer contracted by the Klamath County School District to work on the Bonanza School heat system upgrade, explains the system to visitors during a tour in 2012.

Students joined in on the fun when Henley Elementary officially broke ground on May 2, 2014.

Bonanza Schools bonanza

Klamath County School District bond projects

 Year built: Elementary wing built in 1944; jr./sr. high school wing built in 1968 

Number of students March 2018: 420

 Bond projects: - Roof: $284,222.50 - Lighting: $326,309.65

“In my lifetime of education, there hadn’t been a new school,” said Ray Holliday, spokesman for Citizens for Klamath County Schools and owner of Holliday Jewelry. “I think about how many decades this is going to affect the Klamath Basin, and it’s just overwhelming.”

Completing projects Since that day in May five years ago, the Klamath County School District built a new Henley Elementary and remodeled Chiloquin High School, Peterson, Ferguson, Stearns and Shasta elementaries.

It replaced fire alarms in every school and replaced lighting with safer, energy efficient systems. It upgraded boilers and HVAC systems and replaced windows and flooring.

“I think there’s pride, but there is also ownership with the facilities,” said Renèe Ferguson, director of business services for the district and the person who oversaw the bond’s finances and contracts. “It’s a better learning environment for the students. It’s a better working environment for the teachers and staff. It’s a night-andday difference on some of those buildings.”

“We hope that it will help raise the bar for what our expectations are in this community when it comes to public facilities,” Kepple said, “and especially learning facilities.”

See HISTORY, page 5

Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

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HISTORY, from page 4 In the past five years, the Klamath County School District completed 41 projects funded by the bond, including building the new Henley Elementary. The district received 14 rebates or incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon or Avista Natural Gas. With savings from projects that came in under budget and from those rebates, the district added four projects to the original list. It expanded the bus loop to Henley Middle School with additional parking, new bleachers in the Brixner Junior High gym and Lost River Jr./Sr. High School football field, and an HVAC system for Lost River.

By January 2018, the district was still under budget by 1.27 percent, allowing it to add one more project: new lighting at Mazama High School. That project is scheduled to begin work in May. “The district has proven it can do it right,” Holliday said. “Live up to all the promises.”

“We’ve proven we can build it,” Lowell said. “I believe we have the trust of the county residents that we have completed every project we promised. We’ve come under budget. And we’ve added to the original bond.”

For the whole district Building a new Henley Elementary was the capstone of the bond, but every school building saw some sort of improvement, whether it was better insulated walls and windows, new flooring or state-of-the art lighting.

“All the money and all the work that went into the schools in the outlying areas and the core of the district, made those schools feel valued,” Holliday said, “and those students feel valued, and those teachers feel valued, too. It wasn’t just building a new Henley. It was ‘we’ve got your back, too.’ ”

Brixner Junior High Klamath Falls

‘I believe we have the trust of the county residents that we have completed every project we promised. We’ve come under budget.

And we’ve added to the original bond.’

— Steve Lowell Klamath County School Board member KCSD photos by Samantha Tipler

“Every building you walk into, you see it,” Lowell said. “Ferguson, you see new floors and new windows. It’s energy efficient. Same thing with Stearns. Same thing with Peterson. It’s just been incredible, what we’ve done.”

“You can see it in the kids, you can see it in the staff,” said Justin Azevedo, KCSD project manager. “There’s a lot more pride there.”

“What they used to have and what they have now, it really warms your heart,” Ferguson said. “To see all the improvements we’ve made at the schools, how much better they look, how much more energy efficient they are.”

“All the remodels we did at the other schools – Ferguson, Shasta, Stearns, Chiloquin High – the other projects we did with bond money,” Thede said, “all those things contributed to a feeling of pride in the community and success with the bond.”

New bleachers were installed in August at the Lost River Jr./Sr. High School football field from savings on district bond projects that came in under budget.

See HISTORY, page 6

Klamath County School District bond projects



Year built: 1972



Number of students March 2018: 388

 Bond projects: - New bleachers: $72,347.40 - School roof: $342,267.20 - Fire alarm system: $66,125

Workers with Basin Glass begin installing frames for new windows at Peterson Elementary in July 2016.

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Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Building Pride — Building Success

‘This is one of the best-run government projects I have ever seen. The people of this county should remember, this is the way to do it.’

— John Kite Bond Oversight Committee member

Workers with Rocky Mountain Construction remove the old surface of the Henley Complex parking lot near Henley Middle School in June 2016. This summer the Klamath County School District is resurfacing the parking areas, expanding the Henley Elementary bus loop.

KCSD photo by Samantha Tipler

HISTORY, from page 6 Transparency When the bond passed, one of the first things the school board did was appoint the Bond Oversight Committee, a group of citizens who would provide transparency in how the district spent tax dollars and completed projects.

“We needed to be as transparent as possible and we wanted to show the community we were going to spend their dol-

Chiloquin Elementary chiloquin

lars responsibly,” Thede said. “We let them know where we stood financially, every step of the way.”

The committee met quarterly to review what had been done. They communicated with people in their communities, and relayed any questions from the public.

And they took tours of schools and projects.

“They heard first-hand what we were doing,” Lowell said.

“We were mandated by the administration and the school board to make sure

Klamath County School District bond projects

that every project they had told the public they were going to do got done,” said John Kite, Bond Oversight Committee member.

As projects progressed and rebates and grants made dollars go farther, the oversight committee made recommendations to the school board on which projects to add.

“Here is what we’re doing, here is what our goals are, here is what we’re doing to accomplish it,” Holliday said.

Ferguson and Azevedo also gave updates to the school board during



Year built: 1955



Number of students March 2018: 162

 Bond projects: - Gym roof: $110,803.66 - Fire alarm: $49,761.19

monthly meetings.

“It was always public,” Azevedo said.

“Anybody could be in there listening to all this information.”

“This is one of the best-run government projects I have ever seen. The people of this county should remember, this is the way to do it,” Kite said. “Make everybody accountable. We’re all accountable. We’ve completed every project we told the taxpayers we were going to complete and we were under budget. I think it was very successful.”

Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Election night ‘It felt like we achieved the impossible’

By SAMANTHA TIPLER: Klamath County School District

T

odd Kepple said he once heard Ray Holliday say that working on the committee to promote the 2013 Klamath County School District bond measure was one of the greatest accomplishments in his life.

“I felt the same way,” said Kepple, chairman of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC that promoted the bond.

“When I think about projects I’ve worked on, it’s hard to find anything that is more satisfactory than knowing you participated in a successful effort to improve our schools.”

Superintendent Greg Thede said the citizens who decided the bond was worthwhile, and worked to show the Klamath community it was worthwhile, were a key reason the bond was the first to pass in nearly 40 years.

“We always knew we had a big ball to roll uphill to make this work,” said Holliday, spokesman for the Citizens for Klamath County Schools.

“It would not have happened if we didn’t have citizen leaders involved and being vocal in their support,” Thede said.

“That was huge. It takes a team to accomplish this. We had a tremendous group of people.”

“There was a great spirit of teamwork and of fellowship among those of us that worked on the campaign,” Kepple said. “We had a real sense of unified purpose.”

See ELECTION, page 8

chiloquin jr./sr. high chiloquin

Klamath County School District bond projects

KCSD photos by Samantha Tipler

Chairman of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC, Todd Kepple, top, and PAC spokesman Ray Holliday, above, have said working on passing the bond was one of the greatest accomplishments of their lives.

 Year built: 1937  Number of students March 2018: 129  Bond project: - School remodel: $2.186 million (new floors, metal walls replaced, walls insulated, double-pane windows installed, new lighting, new siding — continued work from 2012, finished new roof — continued work from 2012).

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Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Building Pride — Building Success

ELECTION, from page 7 When election night arrived on May 21, 2013, bond proponents met at Sergio’s Mexican Restaurant awaiting the results.

“It was a nail-biter,” Thede said.

“There was a lot of anticipation, a lot of hope.”

Steve Lowell, school board member, was at the elections office watching as the votes were counted and updating the committee at Sergio’s.

The first results of the night put the bond on the losing side. But by the end of the night the bond succeeded with 150 more yes votes than no votes.

“It turned around and passed by the narrowest of margins,” Kepple said.

“We went from borderline despair to elation within just a matter of seconds.”

“We thought we had lost,” Lowell said. “It was definitely a turn around. It was exciting.”

“When we realized we had passed by 150 votes, there was a lot of jubilation, a lot of relief and a lot of satisfaction felt by people,” Thede said.

“When we realized we’d won, it was an amazing feeling of victory and accomplishment,” Holliday said. “It felt like we achieved the impossible.”

Klamath County School District bond projects

‘It would not have happened if we didn’t have citizen leaders involved and being vocal in their support. That was huge. It takes a team to accomplish this. We had a tremendous group of people.’

— Greg Thede Superintendent, Klamath County School District KCSD file photo by Samantha Tipler

Members of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC celebrate when “yes” votes for the bond moved ahead just after 9 p.m. on election night May 21, 2013.

falcon heights academy H&N file photo

klamath falls



Moved to former Henley Elementary modulars



Number of students March 2018: 106



Great Basin Home School: 558 students

1762719

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Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

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Staying on budget ‘We represented the district well’

T

By SAMANTHA TIPLER: Klamath County School District

hroughout the five years of bond projects, the Klamath County School District took care to make the $31 million in taxpayer dollars go as far as they could.

Renèe Ferguson, director of business services for the district, was the person who oversaw the bond’s finances, tracking every contract, every bill, every receipt.

“I was tracking it through multiple spreadsheets,” Ferguson said.

“We knew how much money we had and we didn’t go beyond that.”

“To me it was having good information,” said Justin Azevedo, district project manager. “We had meetings all the time. A lot of it was communicating with each department and making sure we were all

on the same page.”

Azevedo and Ferguson gave monthly reports to the school board and quarterly reports to the citizen Bond Oversight Committee.

Throughout that process, Ferguson reported how close they were to being on budget, usually a few percentage points in the positive.

“We were all involved,” said school board member Steve Lowell.

“We were getting updates almost every week. We had something to prove.”

See BUDGET, page 11

ferguson elementary klamath falls

Klamath County School District bond projects

H&N file photo

During a 2013 planning meeting for the new school, community members sent an overwhelming message that they wanted the facility to be built by locals.

‘The fact that everything got done and there was money left over was enough to jump up and shout about.’

— Todd Kepple, Chairman, Citizens for Klamath County Schools



Year built: 1954



Number of students March 2018: 493

 Bond projects: - Remodel, including: $1.775 million (insulated walls, new windows, metal siding, fire alarm and lighting) - HVAC: $100,995.28

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Building Pride — BUILDING SUCCESS

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

BY THE NUMBERS : Bond-funded facilities improvements 41

REBATES, GRANTS AND INCENTIVES

Projects completed

$639,879

4

Henley Elementary facility grant from the Oregon Department of Education

Additional projects (5 including Mazama lighting)

14

$387,287

Rebates from the Energy Trust of Oregon, Avista Natural Gas and Oregon Department of Education facility grant

17

Total Energy Trust of Oregon rebates

$15,956

Total Avista Natural Gas rebates

New fire alarm systems

DOLLARS AND CENTS

11

$34.4 million

New lighting systems (including Mazama)

(projects over $1 million)

Peterson Elementary remodel

$1.8 million Stearns Elementary remodel

‘ADDITIONS’ Projects added to the original list with use of rebates, grants and incentives

$683,165 Henley Middle School bus loop paving

$227,189 Lost River Jr./Sr. High School HVAC

Total budgeted amount for bond, including rebates and incentives

$72,347

8

New roofs

$20.4 million

Brixner Junior High gym bleachers

Total cost of new Henley Elementary

5

$2.1 million

Lost River Jr./Sr. High School football bleachers

$1.8 million

$193,126

Remodeled schools

Chiloquin Jr./Sr. High School remodel

(including Shasta Elementary)

1

New Henley Elementary

GEARHART ELEMENTARY BLY

$1.8 million

$27,504

Ferguson Elementary remodel

Mazama High School lighting

(including fire alarm and lighting)

(with expected Energy Trust of Oregon incentives of $107,763)i

Klamath County School District bond projects



Year built: 1962



Number of students March 2018: 13



Bond projects: - Fire alarm: $723

Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

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Photo courtesy of Adkins Consulting Engineering

An aerial view of the Henley Elementary school project is seen during October 2015. The school opened to students in January, 2016.

BUDGET, from page 9 As Azevedo undertook projects, he and Ferguson applied for energy rebates and incentives. They received about $387,000 from the Energy Trust of Oregon, and they received a nearly $640,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Education for Henley Elementary. Those dollars went back into the pot and the oversight committee and school board added five projects on the original list.

gilchrist school gilchrist

“We were all doing our job to protect the taxpayers and get the best possible price,” Azevedo said, “and yet keep ourselves in budget throughout this whole process.”

“The fact that everything got done and there was money left over was enough to jump up and shout about,” said Todd Kepple, chairman of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools, the PAC that promoted the bond during the election. “Overall, to

Klamath County School District bond projects

see a project like this pass, and then to be done so well, is something I think everybody can really be proud of.”

Opportunities On individual projects, Azevedo and Ferguson would wait until the opportune time to ask for bids.

“When these projects would come up, we would try to get as many people as we could to give us bids,” Azevedo said. “The

 Year built: High school wing built in 1938; elementary wing built in 1980 

Number of students March 2018: 205

 Bond projects: - New roof on shop: $31,099 - Elementary school fire alarm: $9,765.44 - High school fire alarm: $18,137.98

more people, the more competition. That was ensuring the best possible price.”

When the economy was strong and contractors were busy, sometimes prices for projects would increase. When the economy lagged, the prices went down.

Azevedo and Ferguson watched for that flux in the market and put projects to bid at the time when they could get the most bang for the buck.

See BUDGET, page 12

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Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Building Pride — Building Success BUDGET, from page 11 “There were a few times where the prices were just way too much,” Azevedo said. “We cancelled the project and said we’ll come back to this project at a better time.”

If there was a change order, review it to see if it is the correct move, Azevedo said. If there were requests for a change, the district expected to see appropriate documentation and whether it should be a change order or whether the contractor should pay for it, Ferguson said.

“We represented the district well,” Ferguson said.

In a few cases projects did go over budget, but those were conscientious decisions made by the district, school board and oversight committee. For instance, Henley Elementary cost increased due to value-added additions. It included a longer-lasting roof, and pre-loading the building site with heavy rock to make sure the soil could properly support the weight of a new school.

‘Not only have we made much-needed repairs and upgrades, but we focused on becoming more efficient and saving as much money as we can around those projects.’

— Greg Thede Superintendent, Klamath County School District

H&N file photos

Increases in the budget for construction of Henley Elementary were conscientious decisions, for instance a longer-lasting roof was chosen, top, and the site was pre-loaded with rock, above, to make sure the soil could support the weight of a new school.

henley elementary klamath falls

Klamath County School District bond projects

 Year built: 2016 (Original school built 1929) 

Number of students March 2018: 558

 Bond projects: - New school: $20.365 million

Energy efficiency One of the goals of the 2013 bond was to make schools more energy efficient.

Projects replaced single pane windows with double pane, added insulation to sheet-metal thin walls, renovated lighting systems, installed new HVAC systems and boilers and replaced roofs.

“So many of the projects were behind the scenes,” Kepple said. “Sometimes it can be hard to appreciate the problems that have gone away.”

“Not only have we made much-needed repairs and upgrades,” said district Superintendent Greg Thede, “but we focused on becoming more efficient and saving as much money as we can around those projects.”

See BUDGET, page 13

Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

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BUDGET, from page 112

With safety in mind: In January 2013, students and staff evacuated Henley High School when a light ballast caught fire.

“That was one of our priorities in the bond, was updating our fire, life and safety for all the schools,” said Justin Azevedo, Klamath County School District project manager.

That meant replacing fire alarms at all the school buildings and replacing lighting at many schools.

That amounted to 17 new fire alarms and 11 new lighting systems.

Projects also installed new HVAC for better air ventilation and new roofs on some buildings.

“Our schools are safer and they’re healthier for students,” said Todd Kepple, chairman of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools, the PAC that promoted the bond during the 2013 election. “That’s something that’s kind of hard to see when you’re just walking down the hallway. But it’s vitally important.”

‘That was one of our priorities in the bond, was updating our fire, life and safety for all the schools.’

— Justin Azevedo, Klamath County School District project manager

A new fire alarm is seen in the hallway as students make their way to classes at Peterson Elementary. Safety upgrades were a priority for the district in the use of bond funds.

KCSD photo by Samantha Tipler

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Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Passing the construction bond: When ‘good enough’ was not enough

By SAMANTHA TIPLER Klamath County School District

When promoting the $31 million bond, the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC had two big obstacles. The first was a general opposition to new taxes.

“The other was what we thought was an unfortunate ambivalence toward the quality of the facilities that our kids were being taught in,” said Todd Kepple, chairman of the PAC. “We felt like our kids deserved the best. Just because we’re a county that is sometime regarded as underprivileged didn’t mean we couldn’t do better for our kids.”

With the bond, voters said “good enough” as not enough. Through making improvements in bond dollars, the district sought to build a better learning environment for Klamath County students.

“Many people, they’re just used to where their kids go to school,” said Renèe Ferguson, KCSD director of business services. “They don’t know what Chiloquin looks like, or what Bonanza looks like, or even Gilchrist.”

“You’d have to have gone to Chiloquin, and seen the ice caked on the inside of the windows there to appreciate how much of a change that makes,” Kepple said. “Most people will never get to see those kinds of improvements. But for staff and students,

I’m sure it’s very noticeable.”

In 2012, Ferguson toured the district, taking photos of the state of the buildings.

She built displays to show at public meetings during the bond campaign. Schools had walls made only of sheet metal below single-pane windows. In some hallways and classrooms, there was no insulation.

“I don’t think the community knew how bad a lot of the schools were,” Ray Holliday, spokesman for the Citizens for Klamath County Schools. “I don’t think anybody realized how bad they were until we took pictures and started showing them around.”

This was in addition to Henley Elemen-

tary, where students attended class in modulars since 2007. Henley Elementary needed a new school. With the public outreach, the public saw the need for better buildings.

Now, some students and staff might take it for granted the improvements the bond has brought.

But Thede also believes the improvements shown the importance of continued maintenance in KCSD schools.

“They noticed, recognized and realized the need for upgraded schools, for schools that have been remodeled,” Thede said.

“They really appreciate and begin to recognize the need for maintenance.”

A construction timeline : Klamath County School District bond projects 2006

2008-13

2010

Summer: Original 1929 Henley Elementary condemned Fall: Henley Elementary students begin class at Henley High School November: Voters turn down $74.9 million bond

Klamath County School District spends $11.4 million on maintenance and $17 million on capital projects, including remodels half of Chiloquin High and installs new heating system at Bonanza School in summer 2012

Original Henley Elementary demolished

2007 February: Henley Elementary students begin class in modular buildings

2012 Fall: Klamath County School Board tours district to catalog state of buildings

2013 January: KCSD Board decides to ask voters for $31 million bond March: KCSD $31 million bond on the ballot, asking for 53 cents per $1,000 assessed value May 21: Voters approve Klamath County School District facilities bond for $31 million; Bond passed by a slim margin of 50.71 percent. The bond passed by 150 votes: 5,383 yes votes to 5,233 no votes.

Photos courtesy of the Klamath County Museum

These historic photos from the Klamath County Museum show the 1929 Henley Elementary. It was condemned in 2006 and demolished in 2010.

Henley Middle klamath falls

Klamath County School District bond projects



Year built: 1949



Number of students March 2018: 357

 Bond projects: - Paving and bus loop: $683,165.25 - Fire alarm: $66,998.79 - Lighting: $204,077.97

Building Pride — Building Success

Tipping point: A new Henley Elementary

By SAMANTHA TIPLER Klamath County School District

At $20.4 million, the new Henley Elementary was the biggest project to come from the 2013 bond. It meant a safe, state-of-the art school built to last for decades to come.

“That was really a changer. There was a huge amount of pride in that school,” Thede said.

Students’ first day of school at the new Henley Elementary was Jan. 4, 2016.

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

For the first time students had large classrooms, hallways, a gym and a cafeteria.

The original Henley Elementary was built in 1929. In 2006, the building was condemned and students attended class in modular buildings from 2007 to 2015.

“People said, ‘We can do this in this community and have these things for our kids,’ ” Thede said.

Prior to the first day of school, the district held an open house for the community on Dec. 19, 2015.

“The number of people who showed up, the looks on their faces, the reactions and the comments, were extremely positive,” Thede said. “People felt this was a big deal. They were happy to see it. And they really recognized the need for a new school out there at Henley.”

A construction timeline : Klamath County School District bond projects 2014 May 2: KCSD breaks ground on new Henley Elementary Summer bond projects: • Chiloquin High School remodel: $2,186,607.86 • Stearns Elementary remodel: $1,810,297.78 Fall 2014: New gym roof at Chiloquin Elementary: $110,803.66

2015 Summer bond projects: • Ferguson Elementary remodel: $1,775,696.75 • Peterson Elementary remodel: $1,817,908.49 • Shasta Elementary windows: $220,273.60

Henley High

2016

2017

January: Henley Elementary finished, students begin class in new school. Total cost: $20,365,720.84 February: Falcon Heights Academy moves to Henley modulars

Summer: • Brixner Junior High bleachers: $72,347.40 • Lost River Jr./Sr. High School football bleachers: $27,504

Summer bond projects: • Henley Middle School paving bus loop: $683,165.25 • Peterson Elementary windows: $485,161.28 • Lost River Jr./Sr. High School roof: $149,231.19 • Merrill Elementary roof: $106,664.43 • Lost River HVAC system: $227,189.28 • Lighting and fire alarm replacement at Henley Middle School, Gearhart School and Bonanza School Fall: • Lighting and fire alarm at Henley High School

Klamath County School District bond projects

2018 Summer: Mazama High School lighting $193,126 (with expected Energy Trust of Oregon incentives of $107,763)

Henley Elementary students warm up during their first PE class in their very own gym on Jan. 4, 2016.

H&N file photo



Year built: 1968



Number of students March 2018: 629

 Bond projects: -Lighting: $211,284.61

klamath falls

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Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

‘Putting our local community to work’ KCSD works with area contractors on Henley Elementary, other bond projects

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By SAMANTHA TIPLER: Klamath County School District

ocal contractors take pride in the fact that they were a part of building the new Henley Elementary, and in improving the other schools Klamath Basin children attend every day.

“We live here, too. We just make sure we try to do a good job for the school district,” said Hap Paulson, project manager at Rocky Mountain Construction. “I do talk to people who see the work we’ve done around the schools, they say it looks good and they’re really happy with it.”

Our guys live here and support the community,” said Toni Hand, who owns Quality Electric with her husband. “It’s always nice working with county schools.

Local People supporting local people.”

“I think this was a milestone project for the company,” said Matt Bogatay, vice president of Bogatay Construction, noting the company’s founder, Rob Bogatay, was very involved in the Klamath community. “The sense of pride it brought to our employees was very large. We were thankful for the opportunity and ultimately being a part of the project team.”

“Building a school such as Henley

Keno elementary keno

Elementary is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Steve Anderson, project manager for P&C Construction, which partnered with Bogatay to manage building the new Henley Elementary. “The most satisfying for me was seeing the look of appreciation on the faces of the kids and the parents when they visited the school for the first time.”

Workers add steel footings to connect concrete slabs to steel supports at Henley Elementary in December 2014.

Modoc Contracting began framing-in Henley Elementary walls in March and April 2015.

Local economy “We wanted to keep these dollars local to stimulate our own economy and put people in our own community to work,” said Klamath County School District Superintendent Greg Thede. “I think we did a pretty good job of that.”

The district contracted with close to 100 contractors, companies and government agencies since voters passed the $31 million bond in 2013.

H&N file photos

See COMMUNITY, page 17

Klamath County School District bond projects

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Year built: 1976

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Number of students March 2018: 190

 Bond projects: - Fire alarm: $99,793.94 - Lighting: $102,696.69

Building Pride — Building Success

behind the scenes — school renovations:

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‘It was our intent to use as many local people or contractors as we could.’

— Justin Azevedo, project manager, Klamath County School District

Chiloquin Jr./Sr. High School: • New floors • Replace metal walls with thicker, insulated walls • Replace single-pane windows with double-pane windows • New lighting • New siding (continued work from 2012) • Finish new roof (continued work from 2012) Stearns Elementary: • New heating system • New floors • New doors • Thicker, better insulated walls • New outside siding • Fire alarm system • New lighting • New electrical system • New boiler Ferguson Elementary: • New roofing • Asbestos abatement on some roofing • New insulation to walls • New outside metal paneling • New outside doors • Exterior paint • New energy efficient windows Peterson Elementary: (only bond-funded)

• • • • • • • • •

Restroom remodel Additional restroom Replace flooring with new vinyl flooring New boiler New water heater Refurbish outside doors New lighting New fire alarm New energy efficient windows and window coverings

lost river jr./sr. high merrill

Workers install a wood floor in the new Henley Elementary gym in November 2015, the students’ first gym since 2006.

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COMMUNITY, from page 16 That included 41 Klamath Basin companies, six Klamath Basin government agencies, 11 southern Oregon companies from the Rogue Valley and 13 companies from other parts of Oregon.

They renovated schools, installed new lighting, put down new flooring, insulated walls, put up new windows and built a new Henley Elementary. Bogatay said Henley Elementary provided unique opportunities for local contractors.

“Those are not everyday jobs in Klamath Falls. It’s always very nice when we can provide that kind of income for

Klamath County School District bond projects

employees for that extent of time,” Bogatay said. “Employees are taking home larger paychecks. They’re spending more money, their family’s going out to dinner more. It has a very large, positive impact on the community.”

“I had people coming in here, buying jewelry,” said Ray Holliday, owner of Holliday Jewelry and spokesman of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC. “They were out there on those worksites. They said, ‘This is bond money coming back.’ That money stayed here to help the entire community.”

“One of our selling points was the fact that these dollars would be spent locally,”

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Year built: 1970

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Number of students March 2018: 211

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Bond projects: - Fire alarm: $62,258.32 - Roof: $149,231.19 - Football bleachers: $27,504 - HVAC: $227,189.28

Thede said. “We would do everything we can to have local subcontractors on the project. We have really tried to keep our work local.”

“It was our intent to use as many local people or contractors as we could,” said Justin Azevedo, project manager for the district. “Most of it, a lot of it our locals could do.”

Some specialized jobs did go to out of area contractors, Azevedo said. Those were specific jobs, such as asbestos abatement, classroom furniture or kitchen appliances like an oversize freezer.

See COMMUNITY, page 19

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Building Pride — Building Success

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

Klamath County School District Project contractors Klamath • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Adkins Consulting Basin Telecommunication Brian Brown Engineering Bullet Rental Consolidated Electric Cummings Roofing Diamond Home Improvement Diversified Contractors Draperies and Things Ed Staub & Sons Ferguson Enterprises Fleming Farms Fluent Engineering Grover Electric Head Painting and Concrete Heaton Steel & Supply Herald and News Home Depot Hunter Communications JW Kerns Irrigation Klamath Basin Equipment Klamath Builders Exchange Klamath Pub LLC Merrill Lumber Company Modoc Contracting North Coast Electric Pacific Coast Federal Credit Union Platt Electric Supply Portland Street Market Power Pac Rental Powley Plumbing Precision Structural Engineering Quality Electric

malin elementary malin

• • • • • • • •

Rocky Mountain Construction Smith Bates Printing Stock’s Basin Landscaping Straight Up Elevator Superior Fence United Mechanical Contractors Winema Electric ZCS Engineering

Southern Oregon • • • • • • • • • • •

Budge McHugh Supply Company Coleman Creek Company Curtis Restaurant D2 Services Day Electric Global Pacific Environmental KDP Certified Public Accountant Playcraft Direct Rogue Fire Protection Standard Supply The Galli Group

Oregon • • • • • • • • •

Aaken Corporation Atez Inc Belfor Environmental Carlson Testing Dull Olson Weekes - IBI Group Architects Hawkins Delafield & Wood, LLP P&C Construction Pinnacle Hydronics Standard and Poors

Klamath County School District bond projects

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Workers with Diversified Contractors add framing and insulation to the Ferguson Elementary gym walls in June 2015.

• • • •

Stoel Rives Thomas Deatherage Architect Vibetech Specialty Willamette Valley Music Company

Government agencies/ Utilities • Bureau of Labor Industries • Klamath County Building Department • Klamath County

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Year built: 1971

 Number of students March 2018: 136  Bond projects: - Fire alarm and lighting: $188,516.75

Community Development • Klamath County Planning Department • Klamath County Solid Waste • Oregon Water Resources Department • Pacific Power and Light • South Suburban Sanitary Southern Oregon ESD Other entities/companies/ contractors outside of Oregon: 21

Building Pride — Building Success

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COMMUNITY, from page 17 Henley Elementary Henley Elementary was the largest job funded by the $31 million bond. The new school cost about $20.4 million. When finding a company to manage the giant project, the district listed working with locals as a priority.

P&C Construction, of Portland, partnered with Bogatay Construction to make that happen.

“Our collaboration with Bogatay was instrumental in maximizing local participation,” Anderson, with P&C Construction, said. “Having such knowledge on our team helped immensely in recruitment and increased interest among the firms throughout Klamath Falls.”

“We had long-standing relationships with all the suppliers and subcontractors in Klamath Falls,” Bogatay said. “What that brought to the table was their trust and know-how.”

Locals knew Bogatay and were familiar with quality, supervision and paying procedures. Additionally, P&C and Bogatay held open houses with subcontractors and suppliers so they could learn about the projects and jobs, and they held pre-bid meetings with interested subcontractors.

“That gave them the comfort to bid the project and know that they are going to have someone local to work with,” Bogatay said.

“We get to see how positively it does affect people. Overall, I would say it was a very positive project for the community.”

mazama high klamath falls

‘We had long-standing relationships with all the suppliers and subcontractors in Klamath Falls. What that brought to the table was their trust and know-how.’

— Matt Bogatay Vice president of Bogatay Construction

H&N file photos

Thom Darrah, project manager with Bogatay Construction, seen in this photo from October 2015, kept the public up-to-date with how Henley Elementary was coming along during the 19-monthlong construction process.

Workers install Douglas fir wood ceilings at Henley Elementary in April 2015.

Klamath County School District bond projects

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Year built: 1965

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Number of students March 2018: 656

 Bond projects: - Heating controls: $215,972.23 - Fire Alarm and new ceiling tiles: $222,284.11 - Lighting: $193,126 (with expected Energy Trust of Oregon incentives of $107,763 summer of 2018)

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Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

What’s Next?

A voter-approved facilities bond expires, but the work continues

By SAMANTHA TIPLER: Klamath County School District

M

ay 2018 marks the five-year anniversary since voters approved the $31 million Klamath County School District facilities bond. It marks the completion of all bondfunded projects, but it is not the end of meeting the needs of KCSD schools and students.

“This bond went a long ways toward addressing major needs we had in the district in terms of our facilities and maintenance issues,” said Klamath County School District Superintendent Greg Thede.

Overall the district stayed on-budget and even added projects to the list the bond funded. Renèe Ferguson, director of business services, and Justin Azevedo, district project manager, received energy efficiency incentives and grant funding, making bond dollars stretch further.

And the Bond Oversight Committee kept the public

up-to-date on the projects and funding.

“We’ve drawn attention to maintenance and the need for not deferring maintenance,” Thede said. “I think the community would expect we continue this maintenance momentum that we have going.”

While bond-funded projects were getting done, the district also completed other projects to continue to keep schools in good shape. Some were paid for by general fund dollars, some by grants, some with help of community donations.

See NEXT, page 21 Construction and improvement projects have helped to create better learning environments for these Henley, Ferguson and Peterson elementary students, as well as others in the district.

KCSD file photos by Samantha Tipler

merrill elementary merrill

Klamath County School District bond projects

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Year built: 1950

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Number of students March 2018: 153

 Bond projects: - Fire alarm: $59,883.61 - Lighting: $98,642.33 - Roof: $106,664.43

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KCSD file photo

The track at Bonanza School was replaced in August by the Klamath County School District, as well as at Mazama High School and Gilchrist School, all through non-bond funded dollars.

NEXT, from page 20

While bond-funded projects were getting done, the district also completed other projects to continue to keep schools in good shape.

Peterson school klamath falls

Klamath County School District bond projects

The district replaced tracks at Mazama High School, Bonanza School and Gilchrist School. This summer Henley is scheduled to receive a new track. Through donations and fundraising, the district built new tennis courts at the Henley Complex.

With $310,000 from the Secure Rural Schools funds through Klamath County, the district renovated the parking and entryway at Ferguson Elementary. The project expanded parking, smoothed out traffic flow, and extended sidewalks.

The district also received several

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Year built: 1965

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Number of students March 2018: 603

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Bond projects: - Remodel: $1.818 million - (remodeled bathrooms, new vinyl floors) - Windows: $485,161.28 - Window coverings: $8,975

Oregon Seismic Rehabilitation Grants. In 2016, the KCSD received a nearly $1.5 million grant for Peterson Elementary. The seismic rehabilitation work on the cafeteria and classrooms happened in the summer of 2017. The district received a little more than $2 million in grants for Henley Middle School. The cafeteria will receive seismic upgrades this summer while the rest of the building’s upgrade will occur in summer of 2019. The district also received nearly $1.5 million for Merrill Elementary, which is scheduled for work in the summer of 2019.

See NEXT, page 22

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Sunday, May 20, 2018, Herald and News

With $310,000 from the Secure Rural Schools funds through Klamath County, the district renovated the parking and entryway at Ferguson Elementary in August 2017.

KCSD file photo by Samantha Tipler

NEXT, from page 21

classrooms at Stearns Elementary.

By taking out a $4.1 million debt issuance, the district is replacing modulars with new, permanent classrooms and restrooms.

The first six classrooms at Peterson Elementary will be ready in time for the 201819 school year. This summer the district is building four classrooms at Henley Middle School and next summer will build four

Maintenance staff The district maintenance staff is working on the new classrooms, similar to the way maintenance staff did much of the renovation of the new KCSD district office.

The district bought the former Lumbermen’s building for about $2 million. The

shasta elementary klamath falls

Klamath County School District bond projects

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Year built: 1966 Number of students March 2018: 538 Bond projects: - School remodel: $1.81 million - New ceiling tiles and asbestos abatement: $228,768.24 - Lighting: $184,371.24 - Fire alarm: $134,781.59 - Windows: $220,273.60

finished cost on this complex, which houses transportation, maintenance, warehouse and district office, is less than $99 per square foot. The entire staff moved to the new building in July 2017.

In recent years the Klamath County School District has built up its maintenance crews to take care of more jobs in-house.

See NEXT, page 23

Building Pride — Building Success NEXT, from page 22 “We do a lot of maintenance nobody ever sees or hears about,” Azevedo said. “We’ve making our dollars go farther by having our skilled maintenance crew do a lot of these projects.”

The KCSD maintenance crew includes skilled trade workers such as electricians, plumbers and carpenters.

“There’s a lot of projects we can take on as long as we have appropriate funding and do those in-house, saving the taxpayers money,” Ferguson said.

Looking to the future This is all in addition to the way the Klamath County School District carefully managed the bond dollars and bond projects.

“This bond took care of some really pressing needs,” said Todd Kepple, chairman of the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC. “It won’t be long before there will need to be another round of improvements and repairs.”

There is no plan to ask the public for another bond, but school district leaders say it could be a possibility, when the need arises.

See NEXT, page 24

In 2016, Klamath County School District received a nearly $1.5 million Oregon Seismic Rehabilitation Grant for Peterson Elementary. Work on the cafeteria and classrooms happened in the summer of 2017.

KCSD file photo by Samantha Tipler

stearns elementary klamath falls

Klamath County School District bond projects

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Year built: 1958

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Number of students March 2018: 330

 Bond projects: - Remodel: $1.81 million - (new heating system, new floors, doors, walls, outside siding, windows, lights, fire alarm system, electrical system, boiler)

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NEXT, from page 23 There’s enthusiasm, too about what’s to come.

“Now that it’s passed and we have this one new school, I’m ready for another one,” said Ray Holliday, spokesman for the Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC. “Our county is so big and we have so many communities. Each school represents a community. Ferguson’s a community. Shasta’s a community. We have so many other communities now that could

Building Pride — Building Success

use a new school.”

For now, Thede is hopeful that when the time comes to ask for money again, the community will again make the decision to support the schools that serve their children.

“Hopefully we’ve gained the trust of our public and that when Klamath County School District comes back in the future again to ask for a bond,” Thede said, “that the community will remember the way in which their dollars were spent and how they were communicated, the transparency in this process.”

‘Now that it’s passed and we have this one new school, I’m ready for another one. ...

We have so many other communities now that could use a new school.’

— Ray Holliday Citizens for Klamath County Schools PAC spokesman

Campaign signs in 2013 encouraged voters to support Klamath County School District’s proposed bond to repair schools and build a new Henley Elementary.

Henley Elementary officially broke ground on May 2, 2014. Principal Janell Preston smiles with Klamath County School Board members Denise Kandra and Steve Lowell.

Henley Elementary students practiced how to get their breakfast and lunch in their new cafeteria during tours of the new school in December 2016.

H&N file photos