poudre-school-630x366.jpg
poudre-school-630x366.jpg
poudre-school-630x366.jpg
poudre-school-630x366.jpg
poudre-school-630x366.jpg

With lawsuits pending over bond funds, Poudre (Colo.) district has to delay school construction

Feb. 17, 2017
Voters approved a $375 million bond issue, but legal challenges to the vote prevent Poudre from issuing bonds.

With pending litigation casting doubt on the availability of funding, the Poudre (Colo.) School District has decided to delay the opening of three planned schools by at least one year.

Poudre Superintendent Sandra Smyser says the district will delay school construction projects by a year.

"In order to allow time to resolve litigation involving this issue and reschedule projects, the district will push the entire construction timeline back by one year," the district said in an online statement.

The Coloradoan reports that the first of three new schools, a 600-seat elementary school, is now expected to open in 2019. Two new combined middle/high schools are tentatively set to open in 2021.

The district secured funding for the projects in a $375 million bond proposal that voters narrowly approved in November 2016. However, Poudre officials have been unable to move forward with bond sales because of legal challenges by community activist Eric Sutherland that contested the validity of the bond vote.

Two cases related to the bond issue — a petition to deem the bonds valid and a lawsuit involving Sutherland — have been combined and will be the topic of the hearing later this month.

It's unclear if a successful outcome for Poudre at the hearing will give the district the all-clear to issue the bonds. Administrators have to make sure all existing and potential legal issues are resolved before issuing bonds so investors know they will be valid.

The district does not know if or when it will be able to access bond funds or how much the delay will cost.

Poudre Superintendent Sandra Smyser says delaying the new schools' openings a full year, even if litigation is resolved sooner, will be least disruptive to students and staff of the new schools. The school district does not typically open new schools in the middle of a school year.

Video from The Coloradoan:

Sponsored Recommendations

How to design flexible learning spaces that teachers love and use

Unlock the potential of flexible learning spaces with expert guidance from school districts and educational furniture providers. Discover how to seamlessly integrate adaptive ...

Blurring the Lines in Education Design: K–12 to Higher Ed to Corporate America

Discover the seamless integration of educational and corporate design principles, shaping tomorrow's leaders from kindergarten to boardroom. Explore innovative classroom layouts...

Room to Learn: Furniture Solutions for Education

Preparing students for the future. Utilizing our experience in the education market, we offer a dynamic selection of products that pair technology with furniture to help stimulate...

Transforming Education: A Case Study in Progressive Classroom Design

Discover how Workspace Interiors and the Baldwin School District reshaped learning environments in Long Island, New York, creating pedagogically responsive spaces that foster ...