Cold Springs School, located at 2243 Sycamore Canyon Road in Montecito, displayed banners during its in-person reopening in September. The elementary school district seeks $7.8 million in a Nov. 3 bond measure.
Before the Cold Spring School District’s bond measure hits the Nov. 3 ballot, there’s a few things Montecito residents want to know.
The district will give a presentation about the measure, L2020, at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday via Zoom.
Resident Don Miller was shocked when he saw a news article about Cold Spring School District’s bond proposal, Measure L, on the Nov. 3 ballot. He hadn’t heard of the measure and took a screenshot of the article and posted it on Nextdoor.
Mr. Miller wasn’t alone. His neighbors without kids in the district also hadn’t heard about it. He is now part of Taxpayers for Responsible School Spending, a group dedicated to raising awareness about Measure L and Cold Spring’s spending.
“We’re just trying to raise awareness that this has been very, very poorly handled,” he told the News-Press Monday. “$7.8 million is a lot of money when you don’t have a plan.”
The school board has received an estimate of $9.7 million for the intended improvements, but is only seeking $7.8 million.
“We were originally considering a $9.8 million bond, but we felt that was a little bit more than the community was willing to give us right now, considering the economic condition,” district Chief Business Official Yuri Calderon told the News-Press on Sept. 16.
Mr. Miller said he wonders what will happen if the district can only fund $7.8 million.
Also on the ballot for the Cold Spring School District is an election for two board of trustees spots.
Board Vice President Gregg Peterson and member Leslie Kneafsey are not running for reelection. Gabrielle Haas, Trevor Pattison and Jordan M. Quivey are vying for their spots.
The district consists of Cold Spring School, which serves elementary grades on its Sycamore Canyon Road campus in Montecito.
To participate in Wednesday’s forum, go to coldspringschool.net/l2020-bond-measure-information.
email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
