Voters in the White Rock School District have rejected a $280,000 bond issue with fewer than 80 persons going to the polls.
The bond issue was defeated with 39 of the voters opposing it to 37 in favor.
School Supt. Alicia Ebers said after the issue was defeated, “The bond failure is definitely disappointing. We have worked to be good stewards of state and federal funding. We have made several improvements to our building and our campus in the last few years, while continuing to meet the needs of our increasing student population. A population that has nearly doubled in the last four years.
“The need for the main building roof was urgent, and we had to make the decision to run the bond prior to knowing what insurance would pay, as well as the availability of other funds. We are in the process of having the main building re-roofed now, but our available funding falls short of having the gymnasium re-roofed.
“And many needs still exist within our district. As always, the board, the staff and I will continue to do the best we can for our students, using the resources available.
The superintendent had said prior to the election the bond issue was really needed to cover the costs for roofs damaged by storms earlier this year that insurance didn’t cover.
She had explained the roofs of the main building and the gymnasium were damaged.
Ebers acknowledged the bond issue would have raised taxes, “because the last bonds that passed were a number of years ago.”