School bond survey a go in Healdsburg

Members of the Healdsburg Unified School District board agreed Wednesday to proceed with a survey of 400 likely Healdsburg school district voters to see if the community would back a potential school bond ballot measure.

Board members told Superintendent Jeff Harding to work with consultant Greg Isom in arranging the survey, estimated to cost $4,000 to $6,000.

A bond measure is for the Marce Becerra Academy or a science lab for Harding said.

"It's time for Healdsburg to step up," said "The health and well-being of our community is governed by the health and well-being of our schools."

Isom, of Isom Advisors in Walnut Creek, told the board that if voters approved a 15-year extension on the existing Healdsburg school bond, the property tax rate of $47 per $100,000 of assessed valuation would stay the same, while generating $28 million in revenue.

A 55 percent majority of Healdsburg voters would be needed to pass the extension on the bond, Isom said.

It's definitely easier to pass an extension {than a new tax]," Isom said. Isom said the survey would also help determine when would be the best time to put a bond measure on the ballot.

Gov. Jerry Brown has said there could be a statewide election in November or possibly in February, Isom said.

"The best time is when you're ready, and when your voters are ready," he said.

Isom said his firm has helped organize and run more than a dozen successful school funding measures in California in recent years.

While the district would pay outright for the survey, all the other costs of running a school bond campaign and election -- estimated at a total of about $100,000 -- would only be paid to Isom's firm on the contingency that the Healdsburg bond measure were successful.

Isom's fee would come out of the bond proceeds, he said.

Isom said the survey would be the best way to determine if there were enough support in the community to run the bond measure campaign, and also which school projects Healdsburg voters would like to see.

"I think it would be very helpful to know what the community wants," said board member Genevieve Llerena. "I think we should move forward."

Business services director Steve Berekman said money for the survey would come out of the district's general fund. Harding said he would contact an architect to get an overview on needed projects and estimated costs.