The Archuleta School District (ASD) Board of Education (BoE) held a special meeting on Feb. 25, at which it unanimously voted to approve a 60 percent match in funds with the district’s Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant application for the newly proposed pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade (PK-8) campus at the Vista Boulevard site.
Superintendent Rick Holt explained that the district had received feedback in regard to its BEST grant application, noting that early on in the process, ASD stated that the grant application required a 56 percent match.
“That amount has changed to 58 percent,” Holt said, explaining that “one of the reasons our match has gone up … is we have currently no bond debt, so we have plenty of bond capacity.”
He mentioned that the district’s median household income is also holding up ASD’s bond capacity, along with not having any bond elections in the last 10 years.
He clarified that currently BEST could contribute up to 42 percent of the project cost with ASD providing a 58 percent match.
Holt noted that the total cost for the PK-8 campus is being estimated at just under $123 million.
He went on to explain that the district received advice from BEST’s state representative that school districts will sometimes offer to collect more “than the minimum from their community to make their application more appealing.”
Holt suggested the district could ask the community in its bond election to contribute a 60 percent match, instead of the minimum 58 percent requirement.
“The hope is that that makes us more attractive,” he said. “That’s the advice we’re getting.”
He then explained that a 58 percent match for the new school project would mean an approximately $71.34 million contribution from the community, with BEST contributing roughly $51.66 million, or 42 percent of the total project cost.
Holt explained that if the district were to increase its match by 2 percent, up to a 60 percent match, “We would then be asking the community to contribute 73.8 million dollars.”
He noted that for every 2 percent increase, that roughly translates to an additional $2.5 million.
Holt indicated that if this is something the district were to pursue, he felt the BoE should vote on it.
He asked the board, “Should we be offering in our BEST grant, more than the minimum?” and if so, by how much?
BoE member Amanda Schick asked about what the actual cost to families would be from taxes broken down by a monthly or yearly number.
“I think those are the numbers that are important to digest for families,” she said.
BoE member David Iverson noted that the district conducted its poll in the summer of 2025 using $70 million for the amount proposed as the community’s contribution.
Holt indicated that for a home with a $500,000 evaluation, a $70 million bond would translate to about $283 in taxes per year.
Iverson noted that each potential match increase of 2.5 percent would add another $7 per year.
Holt mentioned there is likely a “top” price the community is willing to pay, noting that the more the district puts forward with matching funds, it may start to take away from its ability to complete other projects needed within the district.
Holt commented that these are all “very rough numbers” being discussed.
BoE president Bob Lynch commented that it was “just kind of advice” the district received about potentially increasing its match in its BEST grant application, and that they are not required to go up higher than 58 percent.
BoE member Butch Mackey commented that going for a higher percentage match now, and it being a successful grant application, “is probably more cost effective than waiting a year.”
Mackey also indicated that he’d be open to the district going for a match even higher than 60 percent.
Iverson commented that a 60 percent match would bring the ask from BEST under $50 million, noting that “maybe makes it a little more attractive.”
Holt also noted that BEST awarded two grants over $50 million last year, though one award did not get funded as the local election did not pass.
“The state does allocate that much money,” Holt added, commenting on the likelihood of BEST awarding that big of a grant.
He mentioned that compared to last year’s BEST grant applications, ASD will have the highest percent contribution already at 58 percent.
Mackey commented that a 60 or 62 percent match would be helpful in making ASD’s application more likely to be awarded.
“Whatever we can do to show our intent, our seriousness,” he added.
Iverson noted that a 6 to 8 percent inflation rate each year should be expected, which the district has been factoring into the project.
Mackey mentioned that, locally in the past few years, “it’s probably been worse than that for construction.”
Holt commented that “round numbers” are easy to talk about, noting that ASD has been saying that BEST would provide about $50 million of the total project cost.
“I do agree that the round number’s probably easier to sell,” BoE member Tim Taylor added.
Lynch commented that proposing a 60 percent match “feels like a strong application.”
Holt indicated that he feels a 60 percent match would not be stressing to the community and that “not taking too big of a bite of the apple” in order to get other projects done “seems wise.”
Schick motioned to approve submitting the BEST grant application with a proposed 60 percent match from the community, which was unanimously approved.
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