Notice of Public Hearing

EPHRATA SCHOOL DISTRICT NO, 65/55J
GRANT AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES, WASHINGTON

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

     NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Resolution No. 2023-2024-1, that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Ephrata School District No. 165/55J, Grant and Douglas Counties, Washington (the “District”) will hold a public hearing during its regular Board meeting on November 27, 2023, starting at 6:00 P.M. or as soon thereafter as possible, in the District Board Room at 357 Alder ST NW Ephrata, WA 98823.

     Due to significantly higher costs than originally budgeted and the lack of legally available money, it is impractical for the District to modernize Grant Elementary School and renovate the Performing Arts Center and gymnasium, thereby resulting in approximately $6,200,000 of unspent State of Washington Financing Assistance (the “Unspent State Financing Assistance”).

     The purpose of the public hearing is to: (a) consider whether certain state and local circumstances should cause alterations to the specific expenditures from the State of Washington Financing Assistance originally authorized in Resolution Nos. 2018-19-3 and 2018-19-10 to permit the District to use the Unspent State of Financing Assistance to legally defease a portion of the District’s outstanding 2019 bonds, all as more particularly described in Resolution
No. 2023-2024-1 (the “Defeasance”); and (b) receive public testimony. If the Board determines that the Defeasance is in the best interests of the District, the Board may, at a future public meeting, adopt a new resolution that amends Resolution Nos. 2018-19-3, as amended by Resolution No. 2018-19-10, to incorporate the Defeasance. Copies of Resolution No. 2023-24-1, which set the time and place for the public hearing will be posted or linked on the District’s
website at https://www.ephrataschools.org/ or may be obtained by contacting the Superintendent’s Office at (509)754-2474.

     All residents of the District wishing to be heard should appear at the public hearing and present their views. Alternatively, or in addition, such interested residents may submit their views in writing and deliver them to: Timothy A. Payne, Superintendent and Secretary to the Board, at tpayne@ephrataschools.org. The Board of Directors (or Secretary to the Board) will read up to the first 3 minutes of each person’s written comments, and each submission will be entered into the record in its entirety. For those requesting comments to be read who are unable to submit written comments, please contact Superintendent’s Office at (509)754-2474 so alternative arrangements can be made.

EPHRATA SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 165/55J
GRANT AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES, WASHINGTON

/s/  Timothy A. Payne                                                     
Superintendent and Secretary to the Board of Directors