It was supposed to make a recommendation Nov. 17 to take to the school board, but the meeting was canceled due to inclement weather.

But the panel has come up with two scenarios. The board could pick one or the other, combine them or come up with their own plan.

After looking over all the schools, the panel decided that 60-year-old Cascade and 64-year-old Liberty elementaries need to be built anew, at a cost of about $27.5 million each. A new 55-year-old Marysville Middle School also is needed, costing $48.5 million. Major renovations, safety and security improvements are needed at many other schools at a cost of $11.5 million.

The committee was split on the other concept. Some want to completely replace Marysville-Pilchuck High School, at a cost of $95 million. Others want to replace the oldest portions of 45-year-old M-P for $45.5 million and replace 65-year-old Totem Middle School for $48.5 million.

“Totem was a curve all, not on my radar,” Superintendent Becky Berg said.

She added that its location near downtown could really help the appearance of the city overall.

“It’s a community focal point,” she said, adding it could really help clean up State Avenue.

Because of its location, security is a concern that could be remedied with a new school.

The panel agreed to a total cost of $210 million, which would be paid off over 20 years. The state would kick in $60 million and local taxpayers would pay $150 million. The cost would be 88 cents per thousand valuation, or $220 a year for property assessed at $250,000. That’s about $4.58 a week.

Berg said she hopes the school board in December will just add Totem to the first package. That would create the need for about $200 million from local taxpayers. If that doesn’t happen she expects another bond to finish M-P will be needed soon after.

All the schools would be built with community use in mind, Berg said.

Whatever happens, M-P will still get its new cafeteria. “It’s still quite a traumatizing sight” for some people, Berg said. Students eat all over campus, and in classrooms, but not at the gym like they did last year after the tragedy.

“It’s a Starbucksy gathering place. A nice place for kids to hang,” Berg said of the new cafeteria.

The district hired a facilitator, who showed the committee “the good, the bad and the ugly” of school buildings, Berg said.

Panel member Tim Maltery said, “We got a good sense of the state of our schools.”

District leaders stayed out of it.

“We did’t want people to think the decision was manipulated by the district,” Berg said.

She said ideally this school building bond would have gone to voters a decade ago. However, there was a lot of turnover in the district at that time, so decisions were delayed.

The committee took into account input from the online ThoughtExchange used by the district. About 1,000 people took part.

As for when the schools could be built if a measure eventually passes, Berg said it takes about three years for an elementary school and four for a middle and high schools.

“If I could wave a magic wand it would be all at once,” she said.