You may have read a recent letter in The Beachcomber from a concerned Vashon citizen regarding costs of the proposed improvements at Vashon High School.

While vigorous debate around any major vote facing our community is welcome and necessary, the facts presented in the letter are, unfortunately, inaccurate and misleading.

First: The cost per square foot cited is incorrect. The total construction cost per square foot (calculated per industry standards) for the Vashon High school buildings are as follows: New Classroom Building — $288 per square foot (not the $541 per square foot cited), Renovation of Building A — $281 per square foot (not the $525 per square foot cited).

Second: The average cost for comparable Seattle high schools is not $163 per square foot. Recent actual construction cost per square foot for comparable Seattle area high schools range from $224 to $355 per square foot. If costs for inflation through 2012 and a contingency for Island work are factored out, our high school project would cost approximately $253 per square foot in today’s dollars.

Third: While there has been a temporary dip in enrollment at the high school, the trend is not declining but rather is steady and predicted to remain steady even without off-Island students.

The author states that the high school project will cost over $96,000 per student to build. This assumes the building will last just one year. In fact, the new and renovated buildings will serve thousands of students over many years.

Fourth: The estimated 2011 tax for existing capital bonds for a $450,000 home is $562 per year. If both propositions pass, the property taxes for capital bonds will increase $158 per year for this home (not the $720 cited), an increase of about $13 per month.

The estimate for the high school project has been carefully prepared and vetted by industry professionals. It reflects a project that compares favorably to Seattle school projects, will be durable and cost effective to maintain, and will provide an outstanding learning environment and an appropriate reflection of our Vashon community values.

— Eric Gill, Vashon Island School District Capital Projects Manager, and Brian Carter, Principal, Integrus Architecture