2 Districts Savor Win; Oxnard May Try Again

After winning voter approval for two separate bond measures, Fillmore and Port Hueneme school officials on Wednesday were looking forward to finally beginning work on long-awaited construction and classroom renovation projects.

Meanwhile, trustees in the Oxnard School District, where voters narrowly rejected a $57-million bond measure to build two elementary schools, on Wednesday night said they were leaning toward placing an identical initiative on the ballot in June.

They said they will make a final decision once they have had a chance to review Tuesday’s election results.

“I think it would be a mistake not to try again because that would be telling people that we really don’t need this,” said trustee Jim Suter. “And we absolutely need it.”

Suter pointed out that 65.4% of Oxnard voters who cast ballots in Tuesday’s election favored the bond measure, falling just short of 66.7% required for passage. He said he believed the district could close the gap in a follow-up election.

Despite the $110,000 cost for holding two special elections, Suter said that the district has little choice but to move forward.

“I just feel that this is so important that we have to do it,” he said. “I wish I were a millionaire. I’d put up the money myself.”

In Fillmore, school officials were still reveling in the passage of a $12-million bond measure, which they plan to use to finish construction of the district’s middle school by adding 32 new classrooms. The bond measure passed with 73.2% of the voters supporting it.

Supt. Mario Contini attributed the election victory in part to an improving economy. But he also credited the public with rallying behind the middle school project, noting that Fillmore’s 29% voter turnout was the largest of Tuesday’s three elections.

“That really shows the passion and commitment on the part of the community,” Contini said. “I think people realized there really is a need there.”

Not wasting any time, Contini said school officials met with the district’s architect Wednesday morning to discuss plans for the middle school project, which could be completed as early as July 1998.

“We’re rolling,” Contini said. “We’re moving in earnest.”

Officials in the Hueneme School District were also rejoicing Wednesday over the overwhelming support it received for a $4.7-million bond measure that will be used to renovate 320 classrooms in the district’s 11 schools. Despite a low turnout--only 12% of the district’s registered voters cast ballots--74.7% favored the measure.

“I was really pleased with the margin of victory,” said Associate Supt. Jeff Baarstad. “I had hoped for something like that. It lets you know that the community really supports you.”

Baarstad said the district plans to use the money to replace everything from windows to outdated plumbing in its schools, which range in age from 30 to 70 years old. He said the refurbishing would probably commence in about six months and is expected to take about four years to complete.

Meanwhile, the Oxnard School District--if its trustees approve the move--would not be the only district pursuing a special election in June. Ventura Unified School District plans to seek approval for a $81-million bond measure at the same time, while Ocean View Elementary School District will ask for $4 million.

Ventura Supt. Joseph Spirito said he was encouraged by the results of all three school bond elections on Tuesday.

“The economy appears to be getting better, and the housing market seems to be better than it has been for the last four or five years,” he said. “The timing is perfect for it. But while I’m confident, I know it’s not going to be a slam-dunk.”

Mike Saliba, president of the Ventura County Taxpayers Assn., also credited California’s improving economy with helping to garner support for Tuesday’s school bond measures.

“Now that people’s property values have stabilized and the general economy has improved, people are looking at the needs of their school districts and approving bonds,” he said.

But Ann Nock, the Sacramento consultant who worked on the Fillmore campaign, said a growing public awareness about problems in the schools also has helped persuade voters to pry open their pocketbooks.

“The president of the United States is talking about the poor condition of schools,” she said. “The governor is also talking about the condition of schools. So people are becoming more conscious of the problem.”

School officials in Camarillo’s Pleasant Valley School District, which has failed to pass bond measures on four different occasions in recent years, said they too were impressed with this week’s election results.

Associate Supt. Howard Hamilton said it’s possible that his district may consider placing a bond measure on the ballot in November.

Although it is too late for his district to qualify for the June election, Hamilton said school officials will be closely following the results.

“When the dust clears we’ll probably take a look at it,” Hamilton said. “It’s something to seriously consider.”

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