The Tahoma School Board will have a public hearing during its regular meeting Oct. 13 to discuss the potential for building a new Lake Wilderness Elementary.

Last week, the board heard a report from district staff regarding the possibility of building the new school, as opposed to the original plan of remodeling the current aging building.

Kevin Patterson, spokesperson for the district, told The Reporter last week the district has saved about $24 million on the new high school project because the crews haven’t run into any of the anticipated and budgeted-for issues. With the $18 million already ear-marked for the remodel, the district said they think they can afford to build a new school.

Patterson said the school board discussed whether to use that savings to reduce the remainder of bonds that need to be sold and return some money to taxpayers by not incurring that debt, but ultimately “both the board and bond oversight committee agreed the money should be used to build a new Lake Wilderness Elementary school,” he said via email.

Patterson also said expanding projects, like building a new school instead of remodeling the old one, can be done with the money from the bond, but only after a public hearing.

The resolution for the 2013 measure stated, “…if available funds are sufficient from the proceeds of Bonds authorized for the above purposes and/or state and local circumstances require, the District may use such funds to acquire, construct, equip, modernize and make other capital improvements to the facilities of the District, all as the Board of Directors may determine, after holding a public hearing thereon pursuant to RCW 28A.530.020.”