Although the official numbers have not been certified, with 2,098 in favor of Measure G and 1,254 no votes, Measure G has been approved for the Riverbank Unified School District (RUSD). The mid-term election on Nov. 6 was a success for the district as Measure G will authorize the district to issue 19.1 million in bonds for facility improvements. The percentage of voters in favor was roughly 63 percent.
According to RUSD Superintendent Dr. Daryl Camp, Measure G will also place the District in a position to access state matching funds that will benefit the students and schools in the community. In 2017, the board of education approved a Facilities Master Plan that identified approximately $55 to $60 million of facility projects for six schools and the central office.
“Working with our community partners, our school district will now need to determine the best use of the Measure G proceeds. An independent citizens’ oversight committee will be established to ensure that bond proceeds are spent on the appropriate facility projects,” Camp explained.
Under Measure G, the projects must focus on: Upgrading and improving campus security, alarms, equipment and technology to increase student supervision and safety; replacing and repairing outdated plumbing and leaky roofs; providing additional classrooms and up-to-date science labs; renovating classrooms and school buildings; replacing, repairing and upgrading deteriorating portable classrooms; and modernizing athletic facilities.
“I really appreciate that our community made the choice to invest in our students,” Camp said. “Our staff is constantly exploring strategies to improve the learning environment for students. Ensuring that our facilities are well maintained and are being enhanced to support the challenges of today is critical to the goal of preparing students for life.”
Measure G will not increase tax rates for the community because a 1993 bond with the Riverbank Elementary School District will be dropping from the tax rolls in 2018 and 2020. In 2005, the community approved Measure P, a general obligation bond that led to the building of a new elementary school, Mesa Verde, and a new gymnasium, the Ray Fauria Memorial Gymnasium, at Riverbank High School. The District also leveraged local, state and federal funds to build a continuation high school, Adelante, a new science classroom at Cardozo Middle School and an all-weather track at Riverbank High School.
“It is certainly a priority for the school district to be good stewards of public funds,” Camp pointed out. “On behalf of our current and future students, the board of trustees, our families and staff, I sincerely appreciate the community’s support for Riverbank Unified School District students.”
