Even as Santa Rosa City Schools prepares to close several campuses to address a massive budget deficit, construction continues on multi-million dollar projects at two of the most likely closure sites. Montgomery High School is getting a $27.5 million, two-story math and science building, while Albert Biella Elementary is awaiting a $400,000 playground.
District officials say halting these projects is not an option. Stopping construction at Montgomery would complicate any potential sale of the property and could jeopardize state reimbursement for over half the building’s cost. Restarting the project later, if the school doesn’t close, would mean navigating the state approval process all over again, a lengthy and expensive undertaking.
The district stresses that the construction funds are separate from the operating budget and cannot be used to alleviate the deficit. The board is expected to make final closure decisions later this month.
