COOS BAY — Convincing voters to support a $59.95 million bond measure isn’t the only challenge supporters of the Coos Bay School District will face in the coming months. The School Board also needs to decide whether to begin the construction planning process before it knows if it has the money to do the work.

Maintenance manager Joel Smallwood raised the question at the last Schools for the Future meeting. He said other school districts begin planning early so as to shorten the period between bond passage and the start of construction. By doing so, new facilities can be completed sooner and without the added cost of materials inflation.

Smallwood said the district could take several routes in terms of pre-planning. The minimal route could involve hiring an architect and project manager. Although he wasn’t recommending it, Smallwood said some districts go so far as to have blue prints made for new construction, so as to be ready to begin construction the day after the election.

Business manager Rod Danielson said he isn’t sure at this point how much the various options would cost, though he suggested it would be a good idea for the district to do something.

He noted that many other districts will be going to put bond measures on the November ballot that will be vying for the same architects and project managers.

“We are all going to be going after a finite number of professionals,” he said.

The decision is up to the School Board, but Bob Huggins put in a word of caution at the Schools for the Future meeting.

“You can set yourself up to public criticism by spending a lot of money on the assumption the bond is going to pass,” he said.

The committee also discussed how it would go about raising money to encourage voters to approve the bond measure. If passed, it would help pay for construction of new elementary schools at Eastside School and Madison Elementary School, as well as improvements to other district buildings.

Board member Don Blom estimated the campaign would need $10,000 to support the bond’s passage. Danielson noted that employee unions were already talking about supporting the effort with significant funding.

Blom previously expressed concern about the amount of money the district was asking voters for and he raised them again Friday. He noted that a downturn in the economy might mean voters would be less willing to support the measure.

“I’m a little concerned at this date how people will respond to an ask of $59 million,” he said, though he tempered his comments by saying he still is in favor of asking voters for a bond.

Board member David Ford said needs to let people know why the district is asking for the money. To do that, the district is preparing a slide-show with information about concerns at each building and how they would be improved.

Smallwood also said it would be beneficial for the district to hire an architect who might prepare a model of what new schools would look like.

“A model on a table can do more than we could do by talking about it in a week,” he said.

Danielson said he expects to bring the issue up to the board at its next regular meeting.