Where did all those school bonds go? I have been chair of the Benicia Unified School District Bond Oversight Committee since its first meeting on Dec. 9, 2014. In that time the school district has spent $6,229,499.42 and has a balance of $13,905,853.48 of the original $20,000,000 issued. The school district is ready to release the Series B and C bonds for an additional total of 29,600,000. Interest has been accrued in the amount of $135,352.90 while the bonds were held in abeyance.
For those of you who are interested in where the $6 million has gone, the school district has Board Workshop Documents available that speak to the Facilities Master Plan. Each site has priorities listed in this plan under the categories of Critical Portable Replacement Projects, Learning Spaces Modernization Projects and High Impact Education Environment Projects.
Completed projects include: playgrounds, roofs, and tech rooms HVAC at the elementary school level. Across the district servers and tech infrastructure, clocks, bells, PA, surveillance, phone systems have all been brought into the modern age. On a recent tour of the operating hub of the district, we on the board were in awe of this headquarters. Like FBI and CIA-based movies we have seen, we observed the interface that now is possible when all systems are linked to a central operating system. We are definitely in the 21st century.
As you may have guessed, the lion’s share of the monies will be spent at the high school where the new coat of paint makes our BHS a shining example of the excellent education going on inside. Now with cable drops in every room allowing for up to 32 computers to be online, students have access to the internet everywhere on campus.
The big item for bond monies will be our stadium. Construction began on July 18. Students will have all their games away this season while work is underway.
The general contractor will be Bothman Industries who will establish a secure site during the refurbishing.
The student body will lose income from tickets sold at sporting events. Meetings will be held with the leadership team and principal at the high school to brainstorm ideas for fundraising as a result of losing student body income.
Impressive is the speed with which projects are moving forward without forgetting the impact they have on the students who are in session while work is being done.
It has been a great honor for me to have served on this committee. The work is well on its way and though I hold a position as a senior member of the group, senior can mean 55. For all my years working in the school district, the modernization, I believe, needs some younger moderns. Please contact the school district if you are interested in serving in this important oversight function.

The ground breaking event for Benicia High School’s field and stadium takes place on Wednesday, Aug.17 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Ellen Blaufarb is a marriage family therapist and is currently chair of the BUSD Bond Oversight Committee

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