Bond Oversight

An important part of the 2016 Bond is our citizen oversight committee, an independent citizen-led body in charge of monitoring the planned improvements, progress, schedule and costs of the Bond program.
The committee will actively monitor the bond program to:

Ensure bond revenues are used only for the purposes consistent with the voter-approved 2016 bond program and consistent with state law.
Reduce long-term maintenance, construction costs and improving efficiency and longevity, and innovative practices.
Communicate key information related to the bond to all stakeholders.
Review bond program performance and financial audits; and may inspect school facilities and grounds related to bond activities accompanied by district staff.
Review quarterly reports produced by the district each year the bond proceeds are being spent in order to assess general compliance with the bond program approved by voters.

An article was written about the Bond Oversight Committee for the Winter 2019 edition of Building Blocks, the Gresham-Barlow School Bond quarterly newsletter.

Bond Oversight Committee Meetings

All Bond Oversight Committee meetings are open and available to the public.

Meetings will be conducted at 6:00pm over ZOOM. Please email Bianca Sema to receive a link to participate in the meeting.

Bond Oversight Committee Materials – Previous Meetings

Gresham-Barlow School District Bond Oversight Committee:

Karen Johnston
George Seaman
Mike Harris
Brianna Winningham
Jason Dugan
Bess Wills
Sharon Estes
Rick Searls
John Vandermosten

Bond Charter

September 21, 2016

Authorization: The Gresham-Barlow School District School Bond Oversight Committee is established as a committee of the Board of Directors. (Oregon Public Meeting Laws Apply)
Purpose and Authority: The purpose and authority of the Oversight Committee is to convene quarterly or as needed to review progress on the Gresham-Barlow School District Bond Measure 26-187. They will review project improvements, monitor spending (program progress), and monitor schedules. Further they will consider and recommend project modifications if inflationary increases in construction costs exceed current budget estimates. The Oversight Committee shall report quarterly to the Board of Directors regarding program progress.
Estimated Time to carry out oversight: The oversight committee shall be dissolved on January 1, 2021, or upon issuance of a final report by the Committee after all projects authorized by the Gresham-Barlow School District Bond Measure 26-187 have been completed, whichever is earlier.Frequency of Meetings: The Oversight Committee shall meet no fewer than four times per year. Meetings shall be held at a time and location to be determined by the Committee Chair.
Membership: The Oversight Committee shall be composed of no fewer than 7 and no more than 11 members, to be appointed by the Board Chair and approved by the Board. Members shall primarily be professionals with experience in construction, finance, auditing, public budgeting, banking and general business. The District’s project manager and Chief Financial Officer shall serve as ex officio members.
Chair and Vice Chair: The Board Chair shall designate one member to serve as Chair and one member to serve as Vice Chair of the Oversight Committee. The Chair shall preside over committee meetings and act as spokesperson for the committee.
Annual Report: The Oversight Committee shall prepare and deliver quarterly meeting minutes as well as an annual report to the Board of Directors regarding project progress including an overall assessment of the projects, schedules, spending trends, cost projections and recommendations for budget changes for specific projects to ensure the purpose and promise of the Gresham-Barlow School District Bond Measure 26-187 is fully realized.

Project Progress Reports

Bond Oversight Committee Launches!

Bond oversight committee made up of Gresham-Barlow community members holds first meeting

Focus of their work: To ensure bond dollars are spent as voters intended

The Bond Oversight committee conducted their inaugural meeting in September to complete their first quarterly review of the Gresham-Barlow School District Bond Measure 26-187.

The 11 BOC members are Gresham-Barlow community members with a variety of experience and interest in ensuring bond dollars are spent as approved by the voters.

At each quarterly meeting, committee members will review project improvements, monitor spending, and monitor schedules. They also consider and recommend project modifications if inflationary increases in construction costs exceed current budget estimates.

District employees and construction managers presented a full overview of the GBSD bond program which started in early 2017 and is expected to run through 2021. The GBSD bond is made up of projects at every school in the district: four new construction/significant renovation projects and a number of select improvements at the fourteen remaining schools. The four multi-year projects are major redesigns and new construction of Gresham High School, Sam Barlow High School, North Gresham Elementary School, and East Gresham Elementary School. Improvement projects spread throughout the district’s remaining schools include safety and security upgrades, upgraded and improved technology, expanding learning environments including new classroom wings and replacing and repairing building systems like heating and cooling.

The BOC reviewed the projects included in the 2016 voter-approved bond and the bond management plan including the budget and budget management. The BOC learned that the district is waiting to receive its final design approval from the Gresham Design Commission for the Gresham High School project. The project is on track with its schedule and construction timeline. However, its design and management teams are working to balance the project budget and scope of work and will provide an update on how design considerations could impact the budget at the next BOC meeting.

Similarly, GBSD is waiting to receive approval for the Sam Barlow High School project from the Multnomah County Land Use Department. The project is on track with its schedule and construction and the district plans on presenting an updated budget at the next BOC meeting.

Both the North and East Gresham Elementary School projects are on track with their budgets, schedules and construction. Both projects are waiting for approval from the city of Gresham Land Use Department.