By Brian Beckley-The Courier-Herald

The Sumner School District is hoping the third time is the charm to get a capital projects bond passed.

After the $114 million bond effort failed in February to reach supermajority status by an estimated 126 votes the board of directors, acting on advice from the administration, has decided to place the measure on the May ballot in an attempt to get passage before the package's cost has to once again be revised.

&#8220We were so close,” Communications Director Ann Cook said. &#8220Clearly a majority of voters support it.”

The district has warned that the bond package is necessary and the cost, which ballooned from $85 million to $114 million in a single year, will only get more expensive as construction and material costs continue to climb.

&#8220The longer we wait on these projects, the more costly they will become,” Cook said.

Included in the bond is money for the modernization and upgrade to Bonney Lake Elementary, Victor Falls Elementary, Maple Lawn Elementary and Sumner Middle School, each of which is more than 50 years old.

Improvements to the mechanical, wiring and technical infrastructure are due for each school, including bringing the buildings up to current building and seismic code.

There is also money for the improvements at Sumner high school as well as money for future land acquisition in the rapidly-growing southeastern section of the district.

But the big project in the bond is a complete rebuild of Lakeridge Middle School. Lakeridge, built on a reduced budget in 1981 is not only too small for the area (the entire eighth grade is housed in portable classrooms), but also requires more maintenance visits than any of the district's other buildings, often siphoning money from the district's general fund.

Part of the problem at Lakeridge is that its concrete construction means the common areas, such as hallways or the cafeteria, cannot be expanded, making a rebuild the only real option.

&#8220The Lakeridge need is clear,” Cook said, adding that despite the building, Lakeridge is the district's highest-performing middle school. &#8220Those teachers and those kids are working hard in that school and we should give them the tools they need to do their very best.”

Cook said because the vote was so close, with nearly 59 percent of voters in favor of the bond, and a closing window of opportunity to pass this bond before other projects have to be added, the district decided to run it again.

Cook said two of the district's other schools, Emerald Hills and McAlder elementaries will soon need modernization money as well.

Like the February vote, the special election May 15 will be vote-by-mail only election. Residents who are not registered to vote can do so at any of the district's schools.

Brian Beckley can be reached at bbeckley@courierherald.com.