The Molalla River School District Board recently voted unanimously to place a middle school replacement bond measure before voters during the May 21, 2024 primary election.
The $77.5 million bond proposal aims to replace the 70-year-old Molalla River Middle School building that has failing building systems, including a steam heating system and overloaded electrical systems.
The replacement would address issues like outdated fire safety systems, toxic asbestos, and other extreme safety hazards, while also providing students with modern classrooms that offer flexible learning spaces for additional programming like career and technical education.
“The middle school, which serves all students, is well past its useful life. Our kids deserve a better learning environment,” said board member Neal Lucht. “Fortunately, supply chain issues have cleared up and we are able to propose a $77.5 million bond measure, a full $20 million less than this project was estimated to cost a year ago.”
The district’s Community Bond Advisory Committee (CBAC), a volunteer group of parents and community members, spent the past year reviewing building condition assessments, educational adequacy, and capacity needs.