Montana schools watch last minute push for infrastructure bill – NBC Montana

Montana schools watch push for...

MISSOULA, Mont. - For Frenchtown School District Superintendent Randy Cline it is a story eight years in the making. It's also a story that could drag on far longer than it has already. With the Montana infrastructure bill failing to pass the State House by two votes on Thursday, the $426,408 Frenchtown is requesting is in jeopardy once again.

This is the fourth time Cline has requested the money to replace the aging and inefficient windows at Frenchtown Elementary. Staff say windows show up with new cracks all the time. The windows also help make it toasty in the summer and frigid in the winter.

Rather than replacing the whole heating a cooling system, which would probably cost near $1 million Cline opted to ask for window replacement starting four legislative sessions -- 8 years -- ago.

"We were very close to getting it funded the first year, but then we've dropped further down the (priority) list, as there's been more infrastructure needs in schools that have become more important," says Cline.

The Frenchtown request is now 39th out of 50 approved projects that could be funded by bonds if the bill passes. However, that's become less likely, as the amount of money set aside for school projects dropped from $30 million when the bill was first introduced to just $16.3 million.

The total bill will fund about $80 million for sewer, road and school projects as well as the Montana Veterans Home. Other schools higher on the priority list for funding include St. Ignatius, Stevensville, and Polson. Stevensville is looking for close to $2 million.

Read the latest version of the bill here.

Some legislators have tried to lower the cost of the infrastructure bills this session, arguing that school improvements were not as essential as roads, sewers and bridges in a tight budget environment.

Originally the Frenchtown window project cost north of $500,000, but around $150,000 was used to replace the windows in worst shape in 2016. That money was part of a $750,000 levy that passed by just 10 votes in late 2015. Cline says if the state money doesn't come through he will continue to scrape up money here and there to replace the windows gradually.

Cline says he would rather the legislature take on a little debt now than have to deal with the ever-growing pile of infrastructure problems in schools down the road.

"Just because you ignore it doesn't mean it will go away," he says.

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Montana schools watch last minute push for infrastructure bill - NBC Montana