Measure G was a $25.5 million general obligation bond program approved by voters of the Ripon Unified School District back in 2012.
According to Khushroo Gheyara, Measure G repaid some Certificate of Participation that was previously issued while paying for the reconstruction of Weston and Colony Oak elementary schools.
“The COP were fully repaid in 2013, freeing up general fund monies pledged to make lease payments for the certificates,” he said at the Aug. 11 RUSD board meeting.
Gheyara is the Executive Vice Principal for Caldwell Flores Winters Inc. During his 15-year tenure at CFW, he’s worked with over 175 school districts in all facets of the firm’s operation, including that of the financial advisory services.
He noted that reconstruction at Weston was completed in 2015 while Colony Oak fully re-done campus was reopened in 2018.
RUSD also received state aid grants and reimbursements attributable to the Measure G bond program, with a portion of those grants being used for additional improvements to school facilities, Gheyara said.
He praised the local school board for consistently monitoring opportunities to refinance bonds to a lower rate, in turn, saving money for taxpayers.
“The (school) district refinanced bonds in 2009, 2012, 2017, and 2019, saving local taxpayers approximately $3.8 million in interest cost over time,” Gheyara said in his General Obligation Bond Program Review presentation.
He added, “At the time of the 2009 refinancing, the district also reduced the term of the bonds by approximately 10 years.”
Those efforts, according to Gheyara, helped with RUSD’s bond credit rating, which is currently “AA-” by S&P Global or one rating above an “A+” rating, indicating good financial management.
He said in closing that RUSD has sold all bonds under the Measure G program and that investors “must be provided updated information about certain credit criteria on an annual basis” via filing on Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA website.
“The finance team (of CFW Advisory) will continue to monitor future opportunities to refinance bonds or to generate additional revenue,” said Gheyara.