Third time's a charm for feisty Oak Park school bond

NP The Oak Park Unified School District school facilities improvement bond, Measure R, finally passed muster in Tuesday's election, proving the old adage that the third time's a charm.

The $29.4-million school bond needed a 55 percent approval for passage. It earned 57 percent with 2,934 votes in favor and 2,213 against.

Two school bonds that were put to the ballot in 2006—an $89million measure followed by a $71-million measure—were deemed by voters to be too costly in light of a declining enrollment in the Oak Park district. The school board responded by reducing its list of projects to necessary repairs and maintenance only.

Jobs at the five campuses will include updated fire and safety systems and the repair or replacement of roofs, parking lots and heating and air conditioning systems.

"I am so grateful to Oak Park voters for recognizing the needs of the schools," school board chairperson Cindy Vinson said. "This means that we can now move forward to improve the schools and keep our kids safe."

Mike Paule, who co-chaired the Measure R campaign committee with Jay Kapitz, applauded Superintendent Tony Knight for his efforts to convince the community about the urgency of the bond. Credit also went to the school board's Measure R committee members, Barbara Schwartz and Ragini Aggarwal.

"I think our efforts to reach the parents really paid off," Paule said. "We need to take care of ourselves, our own schools. The state doesn't have the money."

Work on a final plan to repair and modernize Oak Park schools will begin immediately, Knight said.

Barbara Bronson Gray was among a group of residents who publicly criticized Measure R.

"We raised some very significant and still-important issues— the mismanagement of C6 funds, the purchase of four new Suburbans, the allocation of $80,000 of general fund money to support the District's new 'natural only' lunch menu, and the need to create a strategic plan that incorporates the decreasing number of school age students in our entire area," Bronson Gray said. "We hope the school board and the community will focus on these issues and resolve them in the very near future."

Kathy Toomayan opposed Measure R. Toomayan, who has had children in Oak Park schools for the past 15 years, said she didn't believe all the projects on the district's wish list were necessary.

"In these difficult economic times, for the school board to ask for that amount of money will increase everybody's burden," Toomayan said.

The bond will cost residents $44.87 per $100,000 of assessed value over the next 30 years. Residents are still paying on the school district's original 1970s facilities bond. In 2006 they also encumbered a separate technology bond and in 2007 they voted for a parcel tax.

Pam Bage, whose youngest child graduated from Oak Park High last year, said she wasn't going to support the bond until she entered the voting booth. She changed her mind and voted yes on the measure because she wants the Oak Park schools to remain high quality for future children.

School board member Barbara Laifman believes the community will overcome its differences and move forward in unison.

"I hope that the controversy that was created over Measure R can stop and we can all make this into a joint effort again," Laifman said.