PILOT ROCK — Voters in November will approve or reject a $8 million bond measure to pay for safety improvements and deferred maintenance at schools in the Pilot Rock School District.

The Pilot Rock School District Board approved placing the bond measure on the November ballot at their meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

“We need to make our schools safer and address maintenance issues in our older buildings,” Pilot Rock Superintendent Troy Jerome said.

Proposed school safety projects include secure main entrances and ADA upgrades, while deferred maintenance proposals are roof replacement or repairs and updated HVAC systems.

The district has been awarded a matching grant from the Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching program in the amount of $4 million. If the bond passes, the district will receive the grant, for a total of $12 million total for proposed projects.

Jerome said the board members and district administration understand that this could be a difficult time during the COVID-19 pandemic for a bond measure, but that it’s important for the district to look ahead and move forward with building improvements. “Regardless of the current situation, we will need to educate students in the years to come and we need to plan for that,” he said.

Also, Jerome said, receiving the additional $4 million OSCIM grant if the bond passes will be a great asset.

“That money may never be available again, and we have to try our hardest to get it now,” he said.

The bond would mature in 30 years or less and the incremental increase over the 2019-20 tax rate is an estimated $1.06 per $1,000 of assessed property value, although actual levy rates may differ.