Voters decide NO on $18.7 school levy

District 777 voters went to the polls yesterday and decided that a $18.7 million building project will NOT move forward. The vote was roughly 2 to 1 against the plan.
Bonds would have been financed by a tax levy would pay for the construction over a 20-year period.
The project involved building a new wing on the Benson High School to accommodate grades four, five and six.
Funds would have been used to renovate the 1928 junior high school auditorium into a performing arts center and tear down the 1928 and 1950 classroom buildings. With the junior high auditorium gone, a new auditorium is planned in the new wing for sports, physical education classes, and community events.
The new wing would also have had space for community education, a business office, offices for the school nurse and school psychologist, a room for speech testing, a para-professional resource room, bathrooms and a janitor’s room.
Over $545,000 is needed currently to pay for maintenance to district facilities. Using bond funds would have freed state maintenance funds for classroom needs.
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