I came across an interesting website last week, created by Pagosa Citizens for Responsible Schools. The website makes the case that education takes place, not merely in school buildings, but also in the resource-rich community that surrounds those school buildings.
The community members who created this website urge us to keep our our public schools downtown, and to vote “No” on Ballot Measure 5A — the bond issue that would create a $156 million debt to partially fund a new PreK-8 facility at the far western end of town.
https://www.connectedcommunitycampus.org/
From that website:
What if the extraordinary place we want for our children is already here?
If you could dream up the most remarkable place for your children to learn and grow, would it be a school set apart from everything — or a school connected to an entire living community?
In downtown Pagosa, children can be near schools, the expanded library, parks, athletic fields, the senior and community center, geothermal grow domes, trails and the San Juan River. They can learn from nature, encounter different generations and experience their town as part of their education.
The river is Pagosa’s jewel. It can be more than scenery or an occasional field trip. Access to natural spaces supports children’s physical activity and mental well-being, and here it can be part of the landscape of childhood.
While enjoying a cup of coffee and a pastry at a local bakery, I noticed a poster hanging on the bulletin board.
Usually the information displayed on a poster is reasonably accurate. Some event is actually taking place at a certain place on a certain date, for example, and we are invited to attend and participate.
Perhaps a ticket price is mentioned? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a poster , for instance, where the ticket price was listed as “$20” but, in fact, the tickets actually cost “$40”.
In other words, people nearly always tell the truth on posters. It’s rather unusual to come across a poster that contains obvious perversions of the truth.
But that’s exactly what I came across at the bakery last week.
The poster:
“Why do we need a new school?”
Archuleta School District (ASD) has placed a bond issue — 5A — on the November ballot, proposing a property tax increase to help pay for a new PreK-8 school facility at the west end of town. The District would then abandon the existing Elementary and Middle Schools, located downtown.
We know almost nothing about this facility, other than its location and its proposed cost. But we know quite a bit about our existing schools, which have been serving the community’s public school needs for — on average — 60 years. And serving those needs relatively well. Last year, the Elementary School and Middle School both received the highest rating given by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE): “Performance Plan” rating.
“Our Elementary and Middle Schools average 60 years old and are unsafe.”
Of course, this is a barefaced lie. Hundreds of parents in Archuleta County would never allow their children to attend an unsafe school, year after year. And ASD would never allow children into unsafe buildings. The liability risk would be unthinkable, to invite 450-500 children into an unsafe building on a daily basis.
As with any buildings — especially perhaps, any government buildings — some inconveniences do exist. Some of the classrooms, for example, do not have windows.
When I attended Stanford University, back in the 1970s, some of the classrooms didn’t have windows. I don’t believe the lack of windows necessarily produced a worse educational outcome.
“Needed renovations could cost $88 million and don’t address ‘can’t fix’ issues.”
This ridiculous “$88 million” figure has been thrown around by 5A proponents, but has absolutely no relationship to “needed” renovations. Obviously, our school buildings have to be properly maintained, but do not “need” massive renovations in order to continue providing a decent education. (As mentioned above… the “Performance Plan” ratings…)
On August 5, 2026, ASD Chief Operations Officer Jason Taylor reported to the School Board that the maintenance “needed” over the next 10 years — including both campuses — would amount to about $17.4 million, as reported by the Pagosa Springs SUN:
No amount of money can fix “can’t fix” issues. Because by definition, they can’t be fixed.
Meanwhile, it appears that ASD might need help from the taxpayers — to the tune of perhaps $1.7 million per year for the next 10 years? — to keep our schools properly maintained and earning “Performance Plan” ratings.
That’s a damn sight less than the $6.7 million per year, for 25 years, that ASD is requesting to fund a new school facility. From a town of 14,000 people?
“A new Pre-Kindergarten-8th grade school will cost taxpayers $79.9 million after receipt of a BEST grant.”
This not what you will see on your ballot, however. What you will see on your ballot is the projected repayment cost for the proposed bonds.
SHALL ARCHULETA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 50JT DEBT BE INCREASED BY UP TO $79,900,000, WITH A REPAYMENT COST OF UP TO $156,500,000…
$156.5 million. That’s the true amount that Archuleta County taxpayers will pay, if this bond measure is approved.
Although nearly everything stated on this poster is a fabrication, the poster does contain some true facts. You can, in fact, visit the proponents’ website at CitizensforASD.org, and find additional information. Which may, or may not, be truthful.
And I believe the notice at the very bottom of the poster is truthful.
We can rest assured that the poster was paid for by Citizens for ASD, Lisa Scott, Campaign Chair.
It would be a violation of Colorado law, if this particular bit of information were untrue.
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can't seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.