The Bond Language

The following is an excerpt of the full Measure G bond language. 

BOND PROJECT LIST 

Scope of Projects.  Bond proceeds will be expended on the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of school facilities of the Mill Valley School District, including furnish and equipping, and the acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities, and not for any other purpose, including teacher and administrator salaries or other school operating expenses, in compliance with California Constitution Article XIIIA, Section 1(b)(3).  This measure authorizes bond projects to be undertaken at all current and future District properties, sites and campuses.

Specific School Facility Project List.  The items presented on the following list provide the types of school facilities projects authorized to be financed with voter-approved bond proceeds.  Specific examples included on this list are not intended to limit the types of projects described and authorized by this measure.  The following types of projects are authorized:

  • Upgrade and modernize classrooms and related school facilities to create modern, efficient and healthy educational environments, including reconstruction, reconfiguring and rebuilding of middle school facilities.  Authorized projects include:…

  • Reconfiguration and reconstruction of facilities at the middle school site, including all related demolition, storage and temporary facilities during reconstruction…

  • Replace aging portable buildings with more permanent facilities including modular buildings…

  • Modernizing, constructing and upgrading classrooms and other facilities such as libraries, multi-purpose rooms, learning centers, food prep/storage and/or food service and eating areas, portable structures and other support facilities to provide improved and modern facilities. 

The School Board has occasionally expressed concern that the bond language requires that any new Middle School must be on the existing Middle School site, as the bond language authorizes “Reconfiguration and reconstruction of facilities at the middle school site.”

  • However, when read in full, it’s clear that is but one example among many examples that are “not intended to limit the types of projects described…” 

  • Moreover, the rest of the non-exclusive list contains language that would support placing a temporary campus elsewhere. It does not have to be next to the construction site. This could be covered under replacing aging portables or constructing and upgrading classrooms and other facilities.  

  • All of these specific projects must be in service of the overarching goal to “create modern, efficient and healthy educational environments.”  Locating the temporary campus on top a toxic dump by a waste treatment plant does not meet the “healthy educational environment” goal, so MVSD can (and should!) consider alternatives.

  • As recently as February 2024, the Board was fully supportive of moving the new middle school to a different location when the proposed site was Friends Field, noting that such a move could provide the following benefits:

    “Coherence of Instructional Program & Mill Valley Middle School Student, Experience Student & Staff Safety, Locates student and staff further away from roadways and vehicular access points, Greater distance between existing buildings and construction site, Fiscal Stewardship - Fiduciary Responsibility: Anticipated savings of $6-8M by removing need for temporary student classrooms., Environmental Stewardship: Reduces construction waste and resources by eliminating temporary classroom campus, reduces smell distraction by locating students further away from sewage agency.”