The millions of dollars needed to restore the heavily water damaged John Muir Elementary/SMASH (Santa Monica Alternative School House) campus in Ocean Park are expected to soak up funding that was earmarked for modernization projects on other elementary school campuses.
When it comes to financing the so-called Water Intrusion Project, currently estimated at $19.6 million, the local school district needs to make some tough financial decisions, deferring projects at other school sites around Santa Monica.
On Sept. 1, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board of Education will be tasked with deciding whether to pursue a full replacement of the damaged Muir/SMASH campus or embark an extensive repair; in addition, board members will be asked to determine what capital projects are priorities in order to gather the funds necessary to…