Alta-Aurelia board debates $2 million SAVE surplus allocation

The Alta-Aurelia Community School District Board of Education met on Jan. 13 in Aurelia to begin deciding how to allocate roughly $2 million in excess proceeds from last winter’s SAVE bond sales. Nearly 40 residents attended and delivered almost half an hour of public comment, pressing the board to balance fiscal restraint with urgent facility needs across both Alta and Aurelia.

The district bonded for $8.25 million against future Secure an Advanced Vision for Education revenues to build a new athletic performance complex. With a winning construction bid of $5.1 million and about $170,000 spent so far on equipment and change orders, officials now project at least $2 million remaining to spend. That surplus has opened a range of questions about what projects should take priority and which properties should receive investment.

Speakers emphasized competing needs. Concerns raised included playground safety, bleacher stability, concession stands, and aging boilers. City and community leaders highlighted equity between the two towns: Alta’s newly elected mayor Desi Suter urged the board to weigh city-district fairness, while Alta resident Shawna Hilsabeck warned against rushed decisions that could divide the district. Parents and PTO members, including Warrior PTO President Mallory Richter, pushed for immediate fixes to playgrounds and classroom infrastructure.

Superintendent Denny Olhausen framed the options within SAVE’s allowable uses, which include facility upgrades, buses, technology, and infrastructure. He said the board could invest in immediate district needs, relocate football and track activities to Aurelia where facilities are district-owned, or hold the surplus to pay down the bond early in 2031. Logistical issues of relocating athletics were discussed, including transporting equipment and band instruments and the long-term question of whether to invest in Alta’s city-owned field or concentrate resources on district-owned grounds in Aurelia.

Board members expressed differing priorities but common fiscal caution. Member Jayden Van Berkum said directing funds toward property the district already owns made practical sense. Board President Tom Hinkeldey signaled he did not expect the board to allocate the entire surplus to a football facility. The board did not take action Tuesday but outlined next steps: meetings with the district’s buildings and grounds crew, coaches, and the City of Alta, followed by potential architect involvement in February.

For Buena Vista County residents, the outcome will shape where students practice, where patrons gather, and how taxpayer dollars preserve safety and community pride. The board’s upcoming meetings will provide the first concrete proposals; residents who want influence should watch the schedule for public sessions and planned architect briefings as the district narrows priorities.