Burbank school district officials cite local impact of Measure S

Since Burbank voters approved the $110-million Measure S bond in March, Burbank school district officials say there has been significant impact to the local economy.

During a Burbank Unified school board meeting on Thursday, officials estimated that 83% of the 29 vendors that have been approved to work on bond projects so far are located within 50 miles of Burbank.

Additionally, 85% of the $3.5 million spent as of Nov. 30 were tied to companies located within 50 miles of the city. A total of four contracts, totaling about $525,000 went to Burbank companies.

Colleen Patterson, who is interim assistant superintendent of Burbank Unified, said $500,000 of the bond funds spent have gone to vendors more than 50 miles away.

During the same meeting, the school board also approved spending a total of $1.3 million in Measure S funds for playground equipment and turf for Disney, Edison, Jefferson, McKinley and Providencia elementary schools.

The tally for the playground equipment came to $898,715, and officials say the equipment provides up to three times more play activities than the current play structures those schools offer.

The cost for the turf came to $446,345 and will replace the wood chips, sand or dirt on those schools’ current playgrounds.

Officials say the turf will also entail easier maintenance of the schoolyards, especially where dirt can be easily tracked into classrooms by students.