WSVSD board approves bond, levy for Feb. ballot

WHITE SALMON — The White Salmon Valley School District (WSVSD) board unanimously passed two ballot measure resolutions at the Nov. 19 meeting.

The first provides for a $77.8 million bond to create a unified K-12 campus and improve safety, and the second renews the educational programs and operations levy (EP&O) that supports day-to-day operations the state does not fully fund.

“These resolutions finalize the ballot language and authorize us to submit the materials to Klickitat and Skamania counties so both measures can appear on the Feb. 10 ballot,” said Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn.

The unified campus proposal was developed by a facilities advisory committee that spent the last year looking at facilities, enrollment trends, and long-term sustainability.

“Their recommendation to move toward a one-campus, two-school model has guided our planning, and this bond would fund that project,” he said. “It represents the level of investment needed to address aging buildings and create a more efficient and student-centered learning environment for the long term.”

The project would additionally unlock an estimated $34 million in state construction assistance funding, available this year only.

The EP&O levy would continue to support staff, smaller class sizes, extracurriculars, professional learning, and updated instructional materials. The three-year levy represents approximately 16% of the district’s annual budget.

“This levy has long been essential to maintaining high-quality programs and services for students,” Polkinghorn said.

To manage the tax impact, the district will not renew its expiring Capital Projects Levy that collects $1 million annually.

Ballots will be mailed on Jan. 23.

For more information, visit the Bond & Levy Content page, www.wsvsd.org/page/bond-levy, or contact Polkinghorn at rich.polkinghorn@whitesalmonschools.org.

WSVSD issued a detailed press release on both ballot measures Nov. 20, available at columbiagorgenews.com.

Contract renewed

The board also unanimously approved to renew the superintendent’s contract for another three years, from 2026-2029.

“I’m thrilled to be here for another three years at least,” Polkinghorn said.

“We’re thrilled to have you,” said Board Chair Peter Harkema. “We appreciate what you’ve done already — where you started and where we are as a district today.”

“I appreciate the confidence of the board,” Polkinghorn replied. “This is a great team. I have a strong team behind me … a lot of people working hard to support kids. I’m happy to be leading that.”