Seattle rep outlines dates for Colfax bond issues

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Apr 26, 20180

Trevor L. Carlson, managing director for Piper Jaffray’s Seattle office which works with school districts around the state, laid out a timeline and goals Monday night for the Colfax bonds, a total $18.9 million for facilities improvements, approved by voters in February.

“You received tangible evidence that the community trusts you immensely. It’s very hard to get bonds passed, especially on the first try,” Carlson said at the school board meeting.

Carlson said he hopes for a May 14 board adoption of a delegation resolution. On June 13, he and the district have set a goal of $18.9 million deposited into the county treasurer with a bond rate not to exceed $2.63 per $100,000 in assessed value, under an A2 rating – which is like a credit rating for the school district.

“We want people clamoring for your bonds,” Carlson said.

He then talked about interest rates.

“It behooves us to move quickly to lock in the borrowing cost today,” he said.

On May 30, bond pricing is set for 7 a.m. at Piper Jaffray’s Seattle office.

“Like buying a house, you close on the house and money is transferred in June,” Superintendent Jerry Pugh told the Gazette later. From there the funds will be available to pay for the construction.

The Colfax School Board Monday also approved a new music teacher, hiring Maarika Vercamer to take over a K-12 choral position to succeed Cary Cammack.

Vercamer, a Pullman High School graduate, is a long-term substitute at Bowdish Middle School in the Central Valley District.

She graduated from WSU last December after doing a practicum in spring 2017 with Cammack in Colfax. She will start in August.

The board also approved Cody Leander as head junior high track coach, Travis Howell as assistant junior high track coach and Cody Gronning as assistant golf coach.

The board approved a letter from Brett Kincaid, senior class president, requesting an attendance waiver for June 4-8 for the class of 2018.