Dr. Michael Alperin grins from ear to ear as he unwraps a candy bar for lunch and talks about last week’s passage of an $18.7 million bond to repair and renovate buildings in the Sweet Home School District.
Measure 99 was approved by just 19 votes in a mail-in ballot, 1,800 to 1,781 thanks in great part to the last minute efforts by the a political action committee to pick up stragglers on the final day of voting. The PAC had called homes where ballots had not been returned and urged them to cast their ballot. On the final day, with the measure needed at least 200 votes to make the state’s 50% participation rule, PAC members called homes and actually picked up and delivered ballots to the police department.
Their attention to detail and extra effort paid off.
A second bond issue, Measure 1, for some $3.8 million to repair athletic facilities including a new track and swimming pool complex, failed by just eight votes, 1,793 to 1785.
Balloting drew 52.3 percent of the eligible voters, thus meeting the state’s 50% regulation for tax measures.
“It’s a great success for the entire community,” Dr. Alperin said. “It was great teamwork.”
Dr. Alperin headed up the PAC because he and his wife, Liz, have always been “big proponents of education…it’s one of the biggest gifts any community can give its children.”
As a Harvard University graduate, Dr. Alperin knows the value of a quality education.
The Alperins live between Sweet Home and Lebanon in the Mallard Creek golf course area. Dr. Alperin first became involved in Lebanon’s successful efforts to pass a $49,850,000 bond to repair its schools.
When Sweet Home residents started exploring the possibility of seeking a bond here, they asked Dr. Alperin to help out.
“We held several meetings to make sure we understood the community’s needs and issues,” Dr. Alperin said. “We explored areas the community felt were needed. We paid for a really good poll that provided us with excellent information that the community believes the kids are getting a good education but the buildings were old and needed work. Most people realize it was going to be expensive but necessary and urgent.”
Dr. Alperin said he was disappointed the smaller bond didn’t pass but said that doesn’t reflect as non-support by the community. “It’s a cost issue,” he said. “People were offered a decision by splitting the two bonds. Our poll showed people wanted to make a decision and so we offered them the opportunity by splitting the bonds on the ballot. People understand the issues they just wanted them addressed up front.”
Aquatic director James Mellein said he was disappointed the athletic facilities bond didn’t pass but says the big bond includes some $300,000 to make repairs to the pool facility.
“This will allow us to do minimal repairs,” Mellein said. “The pool liner is cracked and we suspect the plumbing under the pool is leaking. It won’t allow us to increase pool capacity at all but it will allow us to keep operating.”
Mellein said he was excited the major bond passed but added it was a need for a new pool that started the community examining the bonds three years ago in the first place.
“The bond passage is an example the community felt kids are important,” Mellein said. “Our buildings need replaced and repaired.”
The bond is a “huge reinvestment in the community, a big accomplishment. Potential businesses want to know what kind of schools are in a community.”
Dr. Alperin said a number of community members worked hard to see the effort succeed. PAC members included Joel Keesecker, Donna Short, Michele Peterson supported by numerous school board members including Milton Moran, Barb Snow, Bob and Erma Pascalar, Don Hopkins and Lee Babcock among others.
“The group met weekly since October,” Dr. Alperin said. “We had excellent support from the community in the form of donations too numerous to count.”
An oversight committee will be initiated in the school district before construction begins, Dr. Alperin said.
“I hope a long-term fix for the pool and track are found before heavy construction begins at the high schoool,” Dr. Alperin said. “It would make much more economic sense to do the repairs at the same time rather than do the construction, then later tear things up to redo the pool area.”
Dr. Alperin called the pool a community resource that’s especially important considering the water dangers in the area.
Dr. Alperin moved to the area in 1997 after a 10 year stint in emergency medicine in the San Francisco, Calif. area.
“It was fun to work on this issue,” Dr. Alperin said. “I had the opportunity to meet so many great people. I’m just pleased the people saw fit to support their schools again. I’m very happy.”