KERMAN, Mar. 15 - The Kerman Unified School District Bond Oversight Committee met Thursday, Mar. 9.

The committee was set up under state requirements after voters passed an $11 million school bond (Measure K) issue a few years ago. It’s purpose is to verify that the funds are used for the purpose stated in the election.

Serving on the board, which meets once or twice a year, are: Kristy Beckett, Vicki Blair, Ray Foth, Stephen Hill, Charlie Jones, Mark Kilen, Leslee Nance, Tim Samarin and Kathy Scheidt.

Last week the committee reviewed the 2004-05 financial audit report.

The report, by Borchardt, Corona & Faeth of Fresno, found that the district has sold about $6 million in bonds so far, and has spent about $751,371 - for architectural planning, labor and other services. The auditors reported no findings or questionable costs related to the district’s bond building fund.

The committee also took a look at the district’s budget for the bond revenues. Although the bond total was for $11 million, Kerman Unified has just over $20 million available, when additional state funds and local developer fee revenues are taken into account.

The budget outlines an ambitious list of new building construction throughout the district. On the wish list are multipurpose buildings at Kerman High, Kerman Middle School and Liberty Intermediate; expansions at the Kerman High and Sun Empire Elementary libraries; seven new classrooms at Kerman High, four new classrooms at Liberty and five more classrooms at Sun Empire.

The district’s budget for buildings is about $16.4 million, and the ‘soft costs’ (items such as architectural, administrative and other non-structural work) are estimated at about $4.3 million, leaving the district with a cash shortfall of about $677,983.

There was more bad news when the committee reviewed the bids for the multipurpose buildings - the costs were higher than expected. Four bids were received, ranging from a high of $9.4 million to the lowest, from Davis Moreno Const. Inc., at $8.5 million.

Assistant Supt. Jim Foley said the KUSD school board will be asked to accept the Moreno bid at its meeting Thursday evening, but in order to bring costs under control the Liberty multipurpose building will have to be dropped. He said the district hopes to be able to do the project with different funds.