Members of the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce had lunch June 13 at the Bayfield Primary School lunchroom, then toured the school, parts of which are several decades old.

The so-called “west wing” of the school was vacated in 1997 when the school had about 1,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grades.

This year, there were 1,350 students in the district, and much of the growth has been at the elementary level. The primary school has had to use the wing for a few years now for art and music classes.

The Bayfield School District is asking district voters to approve a $28.6 million bond issue this fall. The district was the top applicant for an $8.56 million BEST grant from the state of Colorado to help with school construction.

“Our facilities are currently maxed out,” Amy Lyons, the district’s finance director, told the businesspeople at the lunch.

The bond issue and grant would cover the following, according to the a fact sheet from the district:

Build a new school for grades 3 to 5 on 40 acres the district bought near the current middle school.Renovate the current elementary building for grades K-2.Make improvements to parking and safety at BMS.There also would be a remodel and expansion of the district’s administration building on Clover Drive.

The expansions would allow for seven sections of each class at the elementary schools, which is large enough to cover two “bubble” classes of more than 120 students each, said Bill Hesford, assistant principal at the elementary school.

The bond issue would cost $6 per month for each $100,000 of assessed value on a home. Lyons said she has a spreadsheet at her office if owners of businesses or ag properties want to call her and she’ll figure out the projected cost.

The estimated costs may change after the county updates its assessed values in August. She can be reached at 884-5503.

The election is scheduled for Nov. 8. Ballots go out in the mail on Oct. 17.

One lunch-goer asked what could become of the old primary school campus.

The district thinks it could still be used for community service, said Superintendent Troy Zabel. Upper Pine Fire has looked at the site for a fire station and community center.

Pine River Shares needs more space, and the district is thinking about adding a preschool because Bayfield Early Education Program is at capacity.

During the tour, Sue Johnson, a retired kindergarten teacher, gave kudos to the district maintenance staff for keeping the building usable for so many years.

Terri Will, whose parents, children and grandchildren have used the old building, was more emphatic.

“Please build a new school!” she said.