LA JARA — Centauri High School’s Class of 2019 received their diplomas Saturday, along with news that the North Conejos School District’s Build Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant application was successful.
As students walk out into the world, efforts have begun to increase taxes for the district’s matching funds for construction of a new high school.

Centauri High School is more than 54 years old and current cost of repairs and replacement of heat, electrical, and other systems are part of the factors in the project.

North Conejos has already received a statutory waiver, reducing the amount of taxpayer contribution from 49 percent of the total cost of a new building to 20.947847 percent.

With the waiver, instead of a new building built at a cost of $15,726,750.90, the cost would be $6,419,082, a significant reduction.

Architects have finalized the current CHS Facilities Condition Index (FCI), which places a number corresponding to the current high school condition with respect to safety, alignment with various codes from electricity and plumbing to ADA compliance, cost of refurbishment compared to building new, etc.

The last state assessment gives the high school a number in the high 70s, and it is expected that the latest FCI will be at or over 80, which is certainly high. Superintendent Curt Wilson explains that the community has been part of the process to date and will continue to be.

The most critical component for most people is the ultimate impact on each family’s property taxes and overall cost, and understandably so, Wilson added.

 “The decision by our public on whether to approve the district match and proceed with an update to our district buildings, this time at CHS with the reduced amount, would occur at the polls.”
For more information or to speak about any of the process and future decision, contact Wilson at 719-274-5174.