Health, safety and technology improvements are in store for Simi Valley schools following the passage of Measure C4 this week.

The $145 million bond measure won handily with a 61.7 majority. Results from the city’s 55 precincts show that the measure received 14,657 votes in favor and versus 9,088 votes against.

"We are just very grateful to the community of Simi Valley, the campaign committee and all the volunteers,: said Kathryn Scroggin, superintendent of schools . "We really needed this. The average age of our schools is 40 years.

A new stadium and track are planned for Simi Valley High School and a multipurpose room is planned for Santa Susana High School.

"This will give us the opportunity to begin work on projects and make our schools an even greater part of the community," Scroggin said.

The bulk of money from Measure C4 will be used to repair aging schools and to modernize classrooms. For example, Simi Elementary School has been open since 1926 and has many outdated features. Of the district’s 21,000 students, more than 5,000 are taught in temporary, portable classrooms.

Districtwide, school officials say a variety of maintenance issues need to be addressed.

For example, plans at Atherwood Elementary School call for upgrading the fire alarm and heating and air-conditioning system and for work to begin that would allow the school to meet federal standards for accommodating the disabled. Berylwood Elementary School needs a new electrical system, painting, exterior lighting and concrete paving.

"My impression has always been that the people of Simi Valley are willing to financially support our public schools provided there was accountability," said Marybeth Jacobsen, chairwoman of the bond campaign committee.

"I think the committee provided those assurances and that is the reason for our success. This bond is fiscally sound and it secures rising property values."

Jacobsen’s committee worked to inform voters by coordinating volunteers for neighborhood canvassing, mailing fliers and making phone calls.

Now that the bond has passed, homeowners will be taxed at the rate of $41.98 a year per $100,000 of assessed property value. Assessed value is determined by the county under Proposition 13 guidelines and is not the same as market value, which is typically much higher.

The district says the cost to the average homeowner will be less than $3.50 a month for the life of the bond, or 25 to 30 years.

"A unique feature of this bond is that every school will receive $100 for each student enrolled to meet its needs and fund projects that it may have wanted to do and just hasn’t had the money," Scroggin said. "This will be discretionary money."

Making sure the Measure C4 bond money is spent as it should be will be the responsibility of a 13-member oversight committee. The group is made up of Simi Valley residents representing the interests of parents, businesses, seniors, tax organizations and the community at large.

The last school bond measure passed in Simi Valley was for $35 million in 1989. Most of that money went for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning in addition to plumbing and new roofs at the oldest sites.