The Coos Bay School District’s $59.95 million bond measure proposal is the second phase of a long-term effort to upgrade school buildings.

A overview of the 2008 Long Range Facility Plan was presented at to the public by David Ford, who briefly described the steps the district took before the board authorized the bond measure to repair and replace the district’s school buildings.

The document also looks to the future, suggesting the district may relocate or close Blossom Gulch Elementary School, depending on how student enrollment fluctuates.

He also suggested the bond would allow the district to continue an improvement plan that began with the replacement of Pirate Hall.

“This plan supports the 1998 long-range facility plan that helped initiate the $10 million bond measure for the math and science building at Marshfield High School and called for ‘phase 2’ of that plan to include the two elementary school replacements; Eastside Elementary and Madison Elementary,” he read from a prepared text.

Each new elementary school is expected to cost $20 million to build. The remaining $19.95 million would be allocated to make repairs to various buildings around the district, with about $12 million slated for Marshfield, and $3 million each for Sunset Middle School and Millicoma Intermediate School.

The plan does not specifically allocate any money to Blossom Gulch because the district is not sure if the building will remain open.

“Student enrollment will determine the status of a central Coos Bay elementary school,” Ford read from the prepared remarks. “If student levels remain at the current numbers, and we hope and anticipate that they will, we will need to maintain a third elementary school.”

Ford left unsaid what would happen if enrollment figures decline.

If enrollment remains steady, the district could keep Blossom Gulch open, or move students to the Milner Crest facility, Ford said. In the latter scenario, the administration and technology department would move from Milner Crest to Bunker Hill Elementary School, which would be vacated by students in favor of Eastside. Whichever building is used by elementary school students, the district plans to set aside about $1.4 million to make repairs to that facility.

“We need to remain flexible,” Ford read, noting a decision on the fate of Blossom Gulch is likely two or three years away.

The need to repair or replace most of the district’s school buildings was found necessary because most of the buildings are old and have failing, obsolete or inefficient systems (see sidebar). The report says the improvements will reduce maintenance costs and provide students with a better learning environment by improving heating, cooling and ventilation systems, adding insulation and repairing roofs.

Superintendent Bob De La Vergne said the plan’s overview was produced in response to questions from the community.

“We are trying to get as much solid information out there as possible,” he said. “We want to let the community know what we are doing.”