Seniors at Arlington High School finish painting the 2024 rocks on the town's hillside.
Larry Johnson came to the Arlington School in 2022, and had served at the Spray School prior to that. He has pushed the school board to build housing for staff, as several teachers are preparing to retire in the coming years.
ARLINGTON, OR (December 4, 2024) – The Gilliam County Court approved a Capital Investment Grant request from the Arlington School District for $825,000 today, supporting the school's commitment to housing for its staff.
Superintendent Larry Johnson, who addressed the court before they voted on the funding package, said that the school is well positioned for the future, with the exception of housing.
"We have fourteen teachers in our district, six of whom will be retiring soon," Johnson said. "What we're trying to do is to have very competitive salaries, health insurance, and affordable housing."
Superintendent Johnson is planning to retire after this school year, and has said that housing is a final hurdle that the school must clear for its future. The charter school has excelled in recent years under Johnson's leadership.
The Arlington School built two new houses on its property in 2023. The school will prioritize housing for new teachers and staff, but could rent to other interested parties if there is a vacancy.
Superintendent Johnson and maintenance staff member Mark Davidson said that they learned a lot by building the first duplex last year. Now, they are looking to build two more houses.
"We feel like this is a good investment for our community," Johnson said. "We won't have to ask the court for more resources for housing and we learned a lot about Davis Bacon and other rules," he said. "We're looking to the future with affordable housing."
The new units are expected to be built in 2025 and will be available with a one-year lease.
Mark Davidson said that ultimately, the houses will pay for themselves.
"We've put in the infrastructure; we have a big enough sewer, water, and power system – all the basic infrastructure is built."
The county court agreed that continual funding and support for more housing is crucial to the county's future.
Gilliam County Judge Cris Patnode said that she has been on the fence about funding housing projects, but believes that the county is well positioned to support key developments.
"I've had mixed feelings about public funds being used for housing," Judge Patnode said. "
"But our goal is to improve housing in the county."
Commissioner Leah Wilkins agreed, saying the Arlington school is "facing an interesting situation with possible retirements and housing is a big issue."
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