Vote nears on $209 million bond

Max Gibbs leaned against his kitchen counter facing Joel Aune, superintendent of Snoqualmie Valley School District, as he listened to Aune discuss various aspects of the school district bond. A thoughtful look graced his face before he spoke up, asking one of many questions about the bond at the "Let's Bond" coffee talk he and his wife Laurie hosted Jan. 9.

"I'm angry at previous projections of growth and how wrong they were," Gibbs said. He said he was angry that growth projections were so off for the previous school district bond of $53 million in 2002. The same year Cascade View Elementary School opened, it was already overcrowded. "I want to make sure there are better tools in place now to make these decisions."

Aune listened carefully, paused to collect his thoughts, then launched into his answer.

"There's no guarantee it won't happen again," Aune said. "We've neutralized as many variables as possible. We brought in a King County planner" to make projections about growth occurring in unincorporated parts of the district.

The coffee talk was one of at least 70 discussions held by members of the Snoqualmie Valley School District and Valley Voters For Education to inform Valley residents of what is included in the bond and why those groups believe it is necessary for the bond to pass in the Feb. 6 election. Valley Voters for Education is a group supporting the bond.

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