Center School District overwhelmingly passes $48 million bond issue

Photo from the Center School District

The day after the Center School District passed its $48 million bond issue, the co-chair of the district’s campaign team noted it can be hard to get 82 percent of the people “to agree on what day it is.”

But 82 percent of Tuesday’s voters said “Yes” to the school district’s bond request.

“A whole lot of the people who voted yes don’t have kids in the schools,” the co-chair, Rick Chambers, said. “That tells me our community understands the importance of strong public schools. It’s exciting this community understands that dynamic and values it.”

The bond issue was needed, the district said, to deal with enrollment increases in elementary schools, aging roofs, security and safety improvements, energy conservation measures and other upgrades.

The bond issue, which extends existing bonds and does not increase the current tax rate, needed a supermajority of four-sevenths -- or about 57 percent -- to pass.

Center Superintendent Sharon Nibbelink sent out a congratulatory note districtwide Wednesday sharing news of the overwhelming victory.

“Please congratulate our Bond committee, our Board, and so many staff members and parents who made this happen,” she wrote. “I am so proud to be a part of the Center family.”

It was the sixth straight successful bond or levy election for Center in a streak extending more than two decades.

Some of the plans with the bond funding include building a new Indian Creek Elementary School, expanding Red Bridge Elementary School where temporary annex buildings are in use, and possibly expanding the district’s Early Childhood Center, depending on board approval.

The district will also be remodeling security and safety features at several of the schools and other facility improvements.