By Kathryn Reed

Lake Tahoe Unified School District was able to secure $2 million more in bond sales Tuesday than financial advisers anticipated because of a good bond rating and favorable yield.

The district will have $17.7 million in its coffers in the next week. The money is part of the $64.5 million bond approved by voters in November 2008. This is the second round of bond sales. Another is not anticipated for two to three years.

Students work in the new small engine lab at South Tahoe High School. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Patrick Martin, vice chairman of the community bond committee that oversees how the money is being spent, gave a report to the board Tuesday night. He said the district has been cooperative in explaining the process and being able to simplify financial documents for the group to understand.

As someone who admittedly was a skeptic about what the district intended to do, Martin said he is thrilled with the accomplishments to date – which include a new building open at South Tahoe High School less than 18 months after the bond was passed.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board authorized LPA Inc. to begin design work on the wing at Bijou Community School that will house nine classrooms. This is all part of the bond.

The board also amended the agreement with LPA for its work on the joint use facility at the high school. It is now going to be a single-story facility with 10,000 square feet. South Lake Tahoe is a partner in this building.

The building will house the student union. The goal is to serve lunch to 750 of the 1,100 students. Right now 450 buy lunch on campus.

The reconfiguration is necessary to accomplish other goals – like building the sports medicine facility. That was a late addition by qualifying for matching funds from the state.