At the Anchorage School Board, “No” doesn’t mean “No.”
The school board majority is planning to vote at the June 6 meeting to amend Memo 151 (inserted below), and add another $26 million to build a new Inlet View School. The current memo details more than $19 million proposed for capital projects in the district, with no mention of Inlet View, the replacement of which was rejected by voters last year.
The Inlet View Elementary School money could come from a mix of federal FEMA reimbursement of earthquake repairs and one-time 2022 funds from the State of Alaska that can be used for anything.
It appears the majority on the school board plans to put $10 million or more on the 2024 ballot for school bonds to provide the rest of what would be needed to build the new school.
At the May 23 meeting, conservative school board member Dave Donley objected to the plan to rush through the additional item, as the board has not provided adequate notice of such a huge expenditure for something rejected by voters in April of 2022.
Donley asked that the matter be placed on the non-action agenda, so the public will have more notice, but several board members objected and said more notice isn’t needed and that action must be taken now, since the board will not be meeting until August.
The next bond vote is in April of 2024.
The capital plan memo is attached below, but makes no mention of Inlet View School.
