District 777 $26.3 million building bond levy passes with strong support
With all the votes in, District 777’s $26.3 million building bond levy passed with overwhelming support. The final vote was 1,356 to 620, a margin of victory of 736 votes. Sixty-nine percent of the district’s voters favored the levy to 31 percent against it.
It was a complete reversal of the May 2015 vote when an $18.6 million building levy went down with 67.5 percent of the district’s voters casting ballots against it. The vote was 1,354 against to 651 in favor in 2015, a loss by 703 votes.
Voters in the City of Benson cast 828 votes for the referendum to 246 against, a margin of victory of 582 votes.
Overall, the cities of the school district cast 910 votes for the levy and 276 against, a margin of 634. Nearly 77 percent of city voters favored the Benson Public Schools’ levy.
In the townships, 446 voted for the levy and 344 against, a margin of 102 votes in favor. Of the rural/farm voters, 56.5 favored the levy.
District 777 Yes No Yes No
2018 levy vote 1,356 620 68.6% 31.4%
2015 levy vote 651 1,354 32.5% 67.5%
Cities Yes No
Benson 1 No. 440 122
Benson 2 So. 388 124
Clontarf 45 10
Danvers 23 6
DeGraff 14 14
Townships
Swift County Yes No
Benson 93 46
Camp Lake 51 21
Cashel 23 35
Clontarf 17 13
Dublin 0 2
Kerkhoven 0 0
Kildare 8 21
Marysland 9 10
Six Mile Grove 35 33
Swenoda 17 35
Tara 19 8
Torning 98 88
West Bank 1 4
Pope County Yes No
Hoff 18 6
Langhei 37 5
Rolling Forks 13 4
Chippewa County Yes No
Grace 5 13
Mandt 2 0
The $26.3 million building bond levy will:
- Add a new wing to the west end of the Northside Elementary School dedicated to infant and toddler daycare, pre-school children, and the Discovery Kids program.
- Construct of a new cafeteria at the Northside that can also be used for meetings and some recreational activities. The addition will free space in the gymnasium at the Northside for physical education classes and events. Currently, half the gym is needed for serving meals.
- Build new performing arts center to replace the 1928 Junior High School Auditorium, now out of use due to part of the ceiling falling into the seating area.
- Add new classrooms at the senior high dedicated to 21st Century learning approaches. Also, the construction of a new band room.
- Convert the indoor swimming pool space to a gym. The pool area is larger than the high school auxiliary gym.
- Demolish of the 1928 auditorium and 1950 Junior High building.
- Add new security features to the Northside Elementary and Benson High School.
District 777 Yes No Yes No
2018 levy vote 1,356 620 68.6% 31.4%
2015 levy vote 651 1,354 32.5% 67.5%
Cities Yes No
Benson 1 No. 440 122
Benson 2 So. 388 124
Clontarf 45 10
Danvers 23 6
DeGraff 14 14
Townships
Swift County Yes No
Benson 93 46
Camp Lake 51 21
Cashel 23 35
Clontarf 17 13
Dublin 0 2
Kerkhoven 0 0
Kildare 8 21
Marysland 9 10
Six Mile Grove 35 33
Swenoda 17 35
Tara 19 8
Torning 98 88
West Bank 1 4
Pope County Yes No
Hoff 18 6
Langhei 37 5
Rolling Forks 13 4
Chippewa County Yes No
Grace 5 13
Mandt 2 0
The $26.3 million building bond levy will:
- Add a new wing to the west end of the Northside Elementary School dedicated to infant and toddler daycare, pre-school children, and the Discovery Kids program.
- Construct a new cafeteria at the Northside that can also be used for meetings and some recreational activities. The addition will free space in the gymnasium at the Northside for physical education classes and events. Currently, half the gym is needed for serving meals.
- Build a new performing arts center to replace the 1928 Junior High School Auditorium, now out of use due to part of the ceiling falling into the seating area.
- Demolish the 1928 auditorium and 1950 Junior High building.
- Add new classrooms at the senior high dedicated to 21st Century learning approaches. Also, the construction of a new band room.
- Convert the indoor swimming pool space to a gym. The pool area is larger than the high school auxiliary gym.
- Add new security features to the Northside Elementary and Benson High School.
