Money saved is money spent elsewhere

POULSBO — Dilemma, dilemma. That’s what the North Kitsap School District has on its hands, and it’s asking for public input to solve it.

This district is hosting two public hearings next week to help decide how —

The district will host two meetings, one at 6:30 p.m. April 15 at Kingston High, and one at 6:30 p.m. April 16 at North Kitsap High.

The meetings are intended to keep a promise the district made last summer, said Robin Shoemaker, the district’s director of capital programs.

Last summer, the district hosted meetings at Kingston High to discuss the lack of lighting on the school’s playing fields. The discussions carried over into board meetings, and those who attended were told that the district would revisit the issue this spring.

Now that Kingston High is complete and the renovations to North Kitsap High are about half-way finished, Shoemaker estimates that about $1.2 million — an estimate from the end of February —

The money is essentially left over from the district’s 2001 bond, she said.

The district spread out the $60.1 million bond — with state matching funds and other funding — to make improvements on nearly all the schools. In addition to its landmark project of the construction of Kingston High, the bond also modernized Poulsbo, Suquamish and Pearson Elementary schools, North Kitsap High and Poulsbo Middle. The schools’ upgrades included earthquake and fire upgrades, new heating, plumbing and ventilation systems, new technology and aesthetic improvements.

Shoemaker said several factors contributed to the surplus, including favorable interest rates and lower-than-anticipated bids.

“We’d also like to think that project management played a role,” she said.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.