PRINEVILLE, OR -- Crook County Schools will not put a bond up for vote this November for building maintenance and repairs.

"I do think we need to go for May, disappointingly, because November is probably the better election. But reality is people are going to feel like they're being rushed and they're going to be right," School Board Vice Chair Scott Cooper said during Wednesday's meeting they would have more time to educate voters, and hopefully pass the bond if they wait until May, "You know, nobody loves floors and roofs and boilers, but floors and roofs and boilers are what we need. I don't see any reason to change the message." The district is looking at upgrades to several facilities. The board signaled they needed to prioritize that list for the bond measure proposal. "We should back up, agree to do whatever we're going to do in essential maintenance in May to do the proper education and the proper promotion, which our new superintendent is better positioned to do than what we've had before," Cooper advised the board.

That new superintendent, Dr. Melissa Skinner told the board she wants the message to be transparent to the community, "Any time there's money going out, any time that we are asking for anything or giving updates, we want to make sure that we are very clear and we communicate all of those projects effectively."

Skinner said she understands voters may be hesitant, in part due to past school spending, "We want to have a destination district. We want to give kids opportunities, but we have to be able to look at these maintenance items. And all I can do is moving forward. Say, 'what can we do?'"

Other projects under consideration include CTE programs, and upgrades for athletics and performing arts facilities.

Now the district will move forward with planning a bond for the May 2025 primary.