Below is the exact language used on the original ballot:

 “To upgrade classrooms, science labs and learning technology in Mill Valley elementary and middle schools; repair/replace leaky roofs/windows, improve accessibility for students with disabilities; add solar and replace outdated/inefficient heating, ventilation, electrical/plumbing systems; shall Mill Valley School District’s measure to issue $194,000,000 in bonds at legal interest rates be adopted, raising approximately $9,300,000 annually while bonds are outstanding averaging 2.6¢ per $100 of assessed value, with oversight, annual audits and all funds improving local schools.”  

No, ballot language cannot be retroactively changed. The actual numbers are always going to change based on the timing of bond sales, tax base growth, and interest costs.  There is new legislation to remove the requirements in the 75 words, as it may be confusing.

Yes, the board contracted with a financial analyst and was presented information several times over the past 4 years. 

• February 13, 2020 Special Workshop & Regular meeting - Presentation
• April 15, 2021 - Regular meeting - Presentation
• October 20, 2021 - Special meeting - Presentation
• March 9, 2023 - Regular meeting - Presentation

The district’s financial advisor calculates the district bonding capacity based on 1.25% of the district’s assessed valuation less any outstanding debt.

Bonding capacity is the term the State of California uses when determining how much debt a district can put its community into, which is the answer above. Some people refer to bonding capacity as how much a District can ask its voters to approve. The original $194 million election was based off of a potential issuance option the board selected, but school district’s do not need to follow the original plan that was presented.  The reason for this is because the plan is always changing due to changes that no one has control over, i.e. assessed value growth or decline, and interest rate increases or decreases.  The 2009 Mill Valley bond called for three bond sales, which ended up being two.  With Measure G, the original bond plan called for five sales, which is now aimed at four.  The original bond plan called for the sales spread out for 8 years, now the three revised plans presented call for six years.  It was discussed years prior and is explained now, that the board does not need to follow the original issuance plan as things are always changing.  When bonds are approved, the voters are approving the total amount, the maximum tax rate, and the list of projects.  How the board goes about selling the bonds and priority of projects is up to them. 

As of May 2022, Mill Valley School District was one of only 7 districts in the state of California to receive AAA bond ratings from both Standard & Poor's (S&P) and Moody's credit rating agency.  S&P confirmed the District's AAA bond rating, one of only 84 school districts in the nation, as of May 2022.  They cited the District's wise fiscal management and stewardship. S&P also provided feedback to the District that the local community's willingness to support its schools financially was a large contributing factor to the superior rating. 

The District’s AAA rating will save the taxpayers approximately $2.7 million over the life of the bond, based off current interest rates as of February 2023.

CFAC is the Community Financial Advisory Committee appointed by the Superintendent as a vital link between educational excellence and local funding and community support. The committee was established to: 

• Review the Mill Valley School District’s budget on a periodic basis, to identify and analyze important long-term financial trends and issues for Board focus (e.g. Enrollment trends, facility costs and use, reserve requirements, dependence on local taxes).

• Collect, review and analyze important financial data, trends, community perceptions and "best practices" that may improve the Superintendent’s decision-making in the financial arena.

• Provide information and recommendations to the Superintendent in a timely manner, which relates to financial decisions before the Superintendent.

• Contribute to District communications/outreach efforts aimed at educating the community on financial matters (e.g. newsletters, speaking engagements to community groups).

CFAC will present to our public at the April 27, 2023 Board meeting. 

In accordance with Education Code §§ 15278 through 15282, the Board must establish and appoint members to an independent citizens’ bond oversight committee (“CBOC”) to inform the public concerning the expenditure of Measure G bond revenues.  The CBOC will convene public meetings to provide oversight and report on the proper expenditure of bond revenues.  As provided for in Section 17528, the Board shall establish and appoint members to the CBOC “within 60 days of the date that the governing board enters the election results on its minutes…”

The composition of the CBOC is governed by statute.  Specifically, Education Code section 15282 provides that the CBOC shall consist of at least 7 members who shall service for a minimum of 2 years and for no more than 3 consecutive terms.   Membership must consist of the following members:

1. A business community member active in a business organization representing the business community within the District;

2. A member of a senior citizen’s organization (Examples:  AARP, Advocacy groups for senior citizens such as National Council on Aging, Retirement Centers such as various University of California Retirement Centers.  Age generally established by groups; 55 is common however AARP is 50);

3. A member of a bona fide taxpayer organization (Examples:county taxpayers’ organization, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Assn, California Taxpayers Assn.)

4. A parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the District;

5. A parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the District and active in a parent-teacher organization (PTA, PTO); and

6. At least 2 at large members

No CBOC member may be compensated and no District employee, official, contractor, vendor or consultant may be a member.  Click here for more information.

The board will bring forth a resolution to make the first issuance once the timeline is set. It will take approximately 70 days from start to finish.   The board has not set a timeline to initiate this process. 

In November 2022, MVSD posted a Request for Qualifications & Proposals (RFQ) for a construction management firm to partner the district in the Measure G Bond projects.  After a careful selection process, the contract was awarded to AECOM, and the Board of Trustees approved the contract at the February 9, 2023  meeting.  AECOM will be working closely with MVSD through the next important step of identifying, and contracting with,  an Architect of Record. 

The lump sum payment was included based on the District’s preferred payment schedule, the District’s best practices for its finances and accounting procedures, and based on industry standard and what works best for a not-to-exceed amount contract in order to maximize value and avoid additional services.  T&M (Time and Materials) contracts can cost more over time and do not allow the District as much flexibility to forecast the expenses. If AECOM was contracted for T&M, designated staff would not be assigned to Mill Valley. Rather, the district would contact AECOM on an as-needed basis and work with available and various staff.  Lump sum payment is typically the preferred financial set up for a Construction Management contract of this nature. The contract may be accessed here.

Under the direction of our Program Management at AECOM, the district will be engaging Hancock Park & DeLong for the immediate task of determining eligibility under the state’s Modernization Program for the Mill Valley ESD. This cost ($5,700) is covered under an allowance in AECOM’s contract. Hancock Park & DeLong have already started the process to access our district’s documents on file at the Office of Public School Construction.

Under the direction of our Program Management at AECOM, the district will be engaging a communications specialist in April. During the Facility Master Planning process, meetings were held with stakeholders across the district to identify a priority list for each site which can be found here. The communications specialist will assist the district in engaging the Mill Valley USD in design standards and guidelines.  Communicate with leadership on “what they are hearing” from their engagement efforts with our community and assist with the prioritization of projects.  This would include a well vetted solution for Mill Valley Middle School.

The contract(s) are projected to go to the Board for approval at its June 7, 2023 meeting.

• Monday, December 12, 2022 - Board Information Item - RFQ/RFP
• Thursday, March 9, 2023 - Board Update of RFQ/RFP Process
• Monday, March 13, 2023 - RFQ/RFP Advertisement (1)
• Monday, March 20, 2023 -  RFQ/RFP Advertisement (2)
• Wednesday, March 29, 2023 - Middle School Site Walk (optional)
• Friday, March 31, 2023 - Deadline for Inquiries/Questions
• Friday, April 7, 2023 - District’s Answers to Inquiries/Questions Posted on Website
• Monday, April 17, 2023 - Proposal Deadline
• Monday, May 1, 2023 - Interviews (if any) 

The contract(s) are projected to go to the Board for approval at its June 7, 2023 meeting.

Over the next 6 weeks, AECOM will be engaged in “building the chassis” for the district's capital expenditure program.  Any build effort will include methods of communication, which will include up to date dashboarding for the district stakeholders to access.  As well, careful documentation and processing of all record documents will be managed.  Over the 6 weeks, AECOM will be engaging with the district to learn preferences on software and workflow.  AECOM will also make sure that the district has a robust architectural selection process and begin the process for general contractor selection for the Middle School.  Further, AECOM will begin the process of “budget validation” for the district's current master plan.  Lastly, AECOM has begun the process of seeking available state funding for the district. 

Over the next 6 months, the district should begin to see the results of the efforts of the first 6 weeks.  That includes budget validation for the Middle School project, and a draft master schedule.  With the master schedule, AECOM will begin to align the build efforts with the district's decision on issuances and develop a “cash flow” curve to monitor for the district. It is AECOM's belief that the general contractor entity should be on board within these 6 months and engage heavily with the selected architect. This effort would include a proposed method for interim financing, should the district choose to engage this method of delivery.  

The Mill Valley School District continues to provide students with an exceptional education, preparing them for high school and beyond. Mill Valley schools have adapted to changing and challenging circumstances the past two years in order to continue providing a quality education to local students. We are focused on maintaining safe, in-person instruction for students, teachers, and staff. Our success is rooted in our dedicated teachers, staff, and parents’ commitment to developing well-rounded and globally-minded students. High-achieving schools that nurture successful students improve the quality of life in our community and protect the property value of our homes.