Archuleta School District (ASD) recently sent out a community poll, surveying 300 registered voters throughout the county to gauge the community’s knowledge and perception of the district and its current facility needs, along with testing potential ballot language for voters to decide on a future bond issue.
The ASD Board of Education (BOE) held a work session on Tuesday, July 1, in which the board was presented with initial results from that poll by Lynea Hansen, a strategic communication and political strategy professional.
Hansen explained that she worked with New Bridge Strategy to develop the poll.
Before reviewing the poll results, ASD Superintendent Rick Holt reviewed the process the district’s Master Plan Advisory Committee (MPAC) has gone through over the last six months to review data on the district’s current facilities, potential renovation and new build costs, and potential new site locations the district could build on.
Holt explained that the MPAC reviewed things such as school funding mechanisms in Colorado, which spurred conversations about the district possibly applying for a Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant, which can provide up to a 44 percent match for capital projects for school districts in Colorado.
Holt also noted that 68 percent of the district’s students live uptown, or west of Piedra Road, and 32 percent live downtown, or east of Piedra Road, and that “a large number of elementary kids live uptown.”
He mentioned that, according to state demographers, the school district is projecting a flat enrollment rate over the next few years.
Holt reminded the BOE that the purpose of the MPAC is to review data and explore possible solutions to suggest to the BOE, but that it is ultimately up to the BOE what the district decides to do in addressing its facility needs.
He explained that during the February MPAC meeting, the idea of building a kindergarten through 8th grade (K-8) campus was initially brought up, and that the difference in cost of building one new building compared to two would be around $25 million.
Holt noted that, during the April MPAC meeting, the group explored the community’s potential bond capacity and found that to be around the $125 million mark, though he noted there are alternate ways of calculating that capacity to potentially increase that amount.
Holt also noted that the MPAC ranked as its No. 1 preference for the district to build a K-8 building, with the next preference to build two new separate buildings to serve as a middle school and elementary school.
Holt went on to indicate that there are two potential building sites being explored, explaining the current Pagosa Springs High School (PSHS) property is 46 acres and could have a K-8 building built on it.
He also noted that the Vista property the district owns uptown is 31 acres and could also be built on.
Holt explained that if the PSHS property is developed, one of the existing baseball fields would likely be covered with parking and that a new field could be constructed into the shale hillside.
He mentioned that one of the “cons” about the Vista property is the proximity of it to U.S. 160 and that might trigger a traffic light needing to be installed.
BOE member Butch Mackey commented that other taxing entities in the community also have projects going on and are considering going to voters for tax increases.
“Almost every taxing entity has kicked the can down the road a long ways, and everybody’s kinda getting to the same point,” he said, explaining that the county may be willing to hold off on going to the ballot for anything this year to give ASD the “first shot.”
Mackey also noted that residential and commercial development is still taking place in the county, and that more developments would bring down everybody’s share of a bond.
BOE president Bob Lynch explained that the current state of the district’s buildings has to do with the history of those buildings being added onto multiple times over the years.
BOE member Amanda Schick asked what the district would do with its remaining buildings once a new facility is constructed.
Holt indicated that there has been commercial interest in the Pagosa Springs Middle School building, and that the county may also consider some sort of recreation center option for the campus.
Lynch also commented that he doesn’t want the district to be in a similar situation 10 years from now, noting that future growth should be factored in with a potential new building.
The first poll question Hansen reviewed had to do with if people have heard, read or seen anything about ASD in the past two months, with 57 percent responding “yes.”
“This is incredibly high in my experience,” she said.
Hansen went on to explain that when testing potential ballot language, she wanted to get a “very clean read,” which included language asking respondents if ASD should take on $123 million in debt in order to build a new K-8 campus.
Hansen explained that, in response to that question, 33 percent indicated a “definite yes” and 18 percent indicated a “probably yes.”
She noted that 19 percent indicated a definite no, and 13 percent indicated no decision.
Hansen summarized the responses to that question as a 24 percent total no and 51 percent total yes.
Hansen went on to explain that the survey respondents were sampled in two groups, with different language being tested in regard to potential monthly or annual tax impacts, noting that when using monthly costs there was an uptick in the percentage of people who would vote yes compared to using annual amounts.
The poll also included questions about if the district going for a BEST grant would make someone more likely to vote yes on the ballot measure .
Hansen commented that there is some “hesitancy around voting yes, period.”
In regard to a preference on a location for a new building, 50 percent of respondents indicated they’d prefer the PSHS property to be developed more, with 28 percent having no preference and 21 percent preferring the Vista site.
“That does surprise me,” Mackey said.
Hansen went on to explain that once the student distribution information was presented, those responses changed to 40 percent preferring the PSHS property and 37 percent preferring the Vista site with 22 percent having no preference.
“The decision about the location is one of the things we found in this poll to be vital about continuing to support among voters,” Hansen said, explaining the district will “really need to build up your reasoning” and spend some time with the community “in that decision-making process.”
The poll also asked respondents to give ASD a grade based on a scale of A to F, with only 2 percent giving the district an “A” grade, Hansen noted.
She explained that 26 percent responded with a “B” grade, 40 percent gave a “C” grade, 13 percent gave a “D” grade and 7 percent gave it an “F.”
“People are not happy, period,” Hansen said, explaining those results may be due to the general state of the world, affordability issues and malcontent amongst communities across the nation.
“We may be seeing that here,” she added.
She then noted that 56 percent of respondents indicated that they agree that ASD spends tax dollars wisely and that 79 percent of respondents have been in an ASD building within the last two years.
BOE member Tim Taylor noted that the board should keep in mind the margin of error included in the poll results, which Hansen noted to be approximately plus or minus 5 percent.
Mackey and Lynch both commented that the initial results were better than expected.
“I pay taxes, too; I don’t like it more than anybody else,” Mackey said.
BOE member Davey Iverson commented that it seems like the community recognizes “the need” within ASD.
Lynch explained that the board has until August to make a decision about whether or not something will be put on the ballot for this November’s election.
Hansen commented that there “is still a lot of work to do,” explaining that there is no “clear-cut” path about whether the district should go to the ballot this year or next year.
Hansen commented that her best advice is, “I think you should probably wait for [2026] and have the details,” encouraging the district to keep up its outreach efforts while working out more details.
In response to a question about if the community goes for the full bond amount of $125, approximately the cost it would take to build a new K-8 building, if the BEST grant could be applied prospectively, Holt explained, “If you pass the full amount, you will not get funded by BEST.”
He explained the bond could be based on an amount contingent on being awarded a BEST grant, but noted that could limit what the district is able to actually build if costs go up while waiting to be awarded.
Holt went on to comment that the BOE may want to consider athletic field needs as well when moving forward and making a decision, indicating the Town of Pagosa Springs is planning on building a new sewage treatment plant south of the PSHS property at some point.
PSHS teacher Darcy DeGuise explained she was “all for” developing the PSHS property until she learned about the town’s plan, also noting school traffic brings about 800 cars downtown daily.
Iverson also commented on potential traffic concerns along 8th Street.
Holt explained that both the PSHS property and Vista property had preliminary soil tests performed that confirmed both sites are capable of being built on, noting the district’s Trujillo Road property is not buildable.
In response to a question from Schick on if the MPAC will reconvene, Holt said, “I think we do want to get that group engaged for a lot of reasons.”
Schick asked if the BOE needs to start identifying that a timeline to have something decided for 2025 is not possible.
“That is for you all to decide,” Holt replied.
He explained that, in his opinion, an Aug. 5 deadline would be “too hasty” for a full site analysis.
Holt also commented later on that the district is at least a couple of years out from moving into a new building.
Holt explained that he would work with MPAC chair Lisa Scott to engage the committee and start having meetings to review data.
Hansen indicated to the BOE that a final report of the poll results would be available in the coming days.
Holt indicated the MPAC could meet again beginning in August.
clayton@pagosasun.com
