IDAHO FALLS – A majority of voters approved both of Bonneville Joint School District 93’s bonds during Tuesday’s election.
A $55.3 million bond to build a new high school passed with 73 percent of the vote, and an additional $8.2 million measure to build a performing arts center and athletic stadium at the new high school passed with 68 percent of the vote. Both bonds needed a 66.67 percent supermajority to pass.
The larger bond will fund construction of a 1,500-student capacity high school with a core capacity of 1,800 for future growth.
This was the fourth time the issue was brought to a vote. The school district has repeatedly said it needs a new high school because of overcrowding issues.
On Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Charles Shackett spoke with EastIdahoNews.com reporter Nate Eaton about what’s next for the school system now that the bonds have passed.
Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com reporter: Dr. Shackett, thanks for speaking with us. You have to be happy today.
Dr. Charles Shackett, Bonneville Joint School District 93 Superintendent: I’m very happy and relieved because after four tries in two years you start to wonder but we’re very, very pleased.
Eaton: Why do you think there was less opposition this time around than in the past?
Shackett: I think mainly because of what our school board did. The opposition kept sharing this idea that we weren’t listening and they have a better idea. So the board gave them a full board meeting and told them to come and present. The community was there, we even had Periscope on it, and they had nothing. They did not have any plan that made any sense and was better than what the high school was providing. We needed a high school. It was very clear to those that listened that everything they were talking about was just to create doubt in the voters mind. Once that happened, I think they lost all their credibility. I think they lost their financial support to oppose the bond so we didn’t see hardly any of the opposition out and about like they were in the last three elections.
Eaton: What happens from here? Do you need to go to split sessions before the school goes up? What’s next?
Shackett: Our architects and everyone were telling us that it had to pass in May in order for the timeline, with all the winters, to get started in time to open in the fall of 2019. We thought we might be able to do it in 2018 if we passed it in May. Next year we won’t need to go to split sessions but probably the following year, it looks pretty inevitable – at least until the new high school is built.
Eaton: If Ammon and Bonneville County continues to grow, will we need to have another school? Is this bond just a short-term fix?
Shackett: That’s a fallacy that was promoted by the opposition. With a growing community that we’re in, there will always be bonds. There’s not one bond that will solve everything for 15 years – which is what they were promoting. There will be many bonds and so probably in two years we’ll be running another bond for elementary additions and shortly after that is a middle school. When you’re growing at 400 students a year, and we’ve been doing it for six years already and it’s going to continue, you have to continue to build a school. There’s no one fix. It’s going to be continual bonding – we’re thinking of three or four bonds within the next ten years.
Eaton: Do you have a message you want to give to parents and voters who came out Tuesday?
Shackett: I’m just happy that the majority really were heard this time because before – 66.5 percent, I mean that’s a majority. We were able to get over the two thirds majority hurdle and it wouldn’t have happened without the help of our parents and advocates. They were out there knocking on doors and out in the snow holding up signs and it wouldn’t have passed without their support.
The new high school will be located near the intersection of 1st Street and Crowley Road on property the district purchased several years ago. Boundary decisions will likely be made the year before the school opens. A name for the new school has not be decided. Click here for more information on the project.
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