From the MSBA Boardcaster 12-28-2012:
Referenda roundup: Hancock, Hills-Beaver Creek pass; three other districts come up short
School districts went two-for-five in school bond referendum voting this week. Hancock and Hills-Beaver Creek voters approved their district’s referenda, while voters rejected measures in Mountain Lake, Rothsay and Rushford-Peterson.
■ Hancock: Voters approved a $5.4 million bond referendum by a 196-36 vote Tuesday, December 18. The funds will be used to construct an addition of six classrooms with an elevator, total renovation of the 1928 high school building, roof repair on three parts of the facility and repairs and upgrades in the 1960 building.
■ Hills-Beaver Creek: The district’s voters OK’d an operating levy referendum Tuesday, December 18. The referendum will provide a $1,521 per pupil increase. Voting results were 389 in favor and 262 against.
■ Mountain Lake: District voters opposed two referendum questions Monday, December 17. The first question, a requisition for a building bond not to exceed $29,020,000, was defeated 921-230. The bonds would have been used to demolish outdated parts of the school building, as well as repair, remodel and upgrade existing school sites and facilities. The second question, contingent on passage of the first, was defeated by a 850-297 vote.
Question 2 asked for an additional general obligation bond not to exceed $825,000 for the repair and renovation of a swimming pool and related facilities, as well as for construction and equipping of a band and choir addition.
■ Rothsay: Voters rejected a $24 million bond referendum to build a new school Monday, December 17. The bond failed by a slim 12-vote margin: 289 to 277. The referendum would have paid for construction for a new 100,000-square-foot pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school building.
■ Rushford-Peterson: The district’s referendum for an elementary school failed by a 993-658 vote Wednesday, December 19. Rushford-Peterson has been working on improving its school facilities since the flood of 2007, which did considerable damage. Since then, the school board sought alternative funding, including through state government, but to no avail. A facilities task force decided to take the referendum to the voters.