The
INSIDE Aging column
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Sheriff’s log
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Taking care of otters
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VOLUME 37, NUMBER 37 • SEPTEMBER 16, 2014
Lopez School Seeks Bond Approval in November Submitted by Lopez School
Lopez School District facilities are falling apart, and district officials are worried about keeping up with safety, health, and educational standards. This was the key message Superintendent Bill Evans delivered to the Lopez School Board recently, when he recommended that the district place a $9.6 million capital projects bond request on the November ballot. The board concurred with the superintendent’s concerns and approved the recommendation. This new bond request represents significant revisions from the $16.5 million renovation project proposed in 2013, which did not meet with voter approval. Evans’ recommendation reflected a concerted effort by the district to respond
Lopez Center
Soul & Funk Dance Band
Saturday, Sept. 27th, 7:30 pm
Super Wide
GroovE & Lopez Friends! Tickets @ PSR, Lopez Bookshop, Blossom, LCCA & online $10/adult • $7/youth
A GREAT BIG THANKS
to all for making the 2014 and 11th Annual Home Tour a major success! This, the biggest fund-raiser for the Lopez Center for the Community and Arts, is critical as it provides an important portion of the LCCA’s annual operations budget. The proceeds, in turn, allow the LCCA to keep event prices low so all Lopezians can enjoy the varied events. BUT the success of the Home Tour requires help from a multitude of people and organizations. They include the home owners for providing their houses, the organizing committee and volunteers who spend countless hours before, during, and after the September event, the generous on- and off-island business and individual sponsors, and last but not least the people who buy tickets and visit the homes. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION. SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT SEPTEMBER!
Call the Weekly to advertise 376-4500
to the messages it intuited from the last bond attempt and the significant community input sought and received since that election. The message was very clear, stated Evans, that the community values its Lopez and Decatur Schools and wants what is best for its students, including safe, healthy, and educationally sound schools. “The voters may have balked at the cost of the last request, but clearly said they would consider something that was reasonably reduced in price,” Evans’ said. This current request is approximately 40 percent less than the original request, but will provide sufficient funding for critical upgrades and renovations to meet basic safety, health and educational standards. By reducing originally proposed new additions and site improvements, trimming back on refurbishment of classrooms, and eliminating original plans for water catchment for irrigation, the District is able to present a responsive revised request to the voters. While reserving detailed pricing of specific components for a proposed design process, including an advisory committee of staff, community, and students, it is estimated that approximately two thirds of the funding will be devoted to fixing, renovating, and upgrading the buildings to safety and health standards. Approximately one third of the funding will be committed to classroom renovations and other efforts to meet current educational standards. Lopez
pays significantly more than other comparative districts for basic utilities and maintenance. The bond project will create greater efficiencies in energy and other costs so that those savings can be devoted to student learning. Other potential efficiencies will be achieved by re-configuration of office and administrative spaces. Safety will be enhanced by addressing security and safety issues, such as fire suppression systems and alarms, and developing systems to secure the campuses in the event of danger. By hiring an experienced project supervisor, relying upon the considered expertise of the architect and engineering team, and taking advantage of Superintendent Evans’ leadership experience in school construction projects, District officials are confident they will have the expertise and oversight needed to successfully manage this critical renovation project. Taxpayer cost is estimated to be an additional $0.30$0.35 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property, or approximately $124 a year for a $400,000 house. This tax impact reflects an estimated interest rate that continues to be attractive and below historical averages. District officials will be sharing more details about the bond proposal at public meetings and in various publications. For more info contact Superintendent Evans at bevans@lopez.k12.wa.us, or 360-468-2202.
Human remains found in Moran State Park A fisherman found decomposed human remains with a wallet in a collapsed tent located offtrail in a secluded area of Moran State Park near the bridge over the Cascade Lake lagoon on Sept. 6. The wallet contained a Texas driver’s license for a person from Plano, Texas.
County Coroner Randall Gaylord said that the remains were too decomposed to match the driver’s license with the remains, and that he will arrange for a dental examination and search out dental records. In the meantime, family members of the person identified in the driver’s
LOPEZ LOBOS Home Games This Week: 9/16 Volleyball vs. Orcas Christian 3:00 9/19 Soccer vs. Mt. Vernon Christian 3:00 ‘The Pack’
from Lopez Island
Prevention Coalition
license have been contacted to provide assistance in the identification. According to Gaylord, the cause of death was not apparent from the view of the scene, and that a complete forensic examination will take place at the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office. “Our first objective is to determine who this is and to notify his family,” Gaylord said. A medium-sized backpack in nearly new condition was nearby. It contained a com-
puter, a change of clothes and certificates of graduation from Kansas State University with a master’s in electrical engineering and also from other schools. A Seattle Times newspaper for May 21, 2014 was also found in the backpack. No food or other camping equipment was found. Anyone who might have information is invited to call the San Juan County Sheriff at 378-4151 or the County Prosecutor/Coroner at 3784101.