School board unanimously passes $79.9 million bond resolution
District homeowners will vote by mail in April
Monday, March 9 the District 66 School Board met at the ABC building to discuss a $79.9 million bond issue request. After community members voiced their opinions and the board had deliberated, they approved the resolution.
The decision on whether the bond will be passed is now in the hands of the community. The bond resolution will go to district homeowners in the form of a mail-in ballot, which is scheduled to take place between April 24 and May 12.
If passed, the bond would address concerns within elementary schools and the middle school. For Sunset, Swanson and Oakdale, the bond would provide for completely new buildings. Westside Middle School and Prairie Lane would be remodeled. The remaining elementary schools would be renovated.
Originally, a $94.8 million bond was requested, but board members elected to vote on a $79.9 million amount instead. The reasoning behind going with a smaller amount was to gain voters’ support with the amount and results that may be seen.
“We don’t want to gamble on the success of a bond…” board member Dana Blakely said. “We want to do what’s best for our kids and our taxpayers.”
I think it would be unrealistic for us to think we can move forward without addressing these needs, first and foremost the safety of our kids and what is best for them.”
The bond, if passed by voters, would be directed toward high-priority issues concerning student safety, functional and physical needs, renovations and replacements.
“We’re addressing the fiscal needs, the safety needs and the learning needs,” McCann said.
Many district schools haven’t been renovated since they were built in the 1960s, when the last bond issue was passed in the district. For a $150,000 dollar home the cost of the bond would be $13.17 per month.
“It was first built in 1968, and I have a lot of parts that need to be replaced…” said Scott Hazelrigg, the vice president of the school board, “1961 was a really, really long time ago… This is a fiscally responsible decision.”
For more information on the bond, click here or read through our CoverItLive minute-by-minute updates (below) from the board meeting.
Your donation will support the student journalists of Omaha Westside High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
