Voters pass $35 million bond in District 93
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IDAHO FALLS — The results are in, and voters have decided Bonneville Joint School District 93 will get a new middle school.
With 72 percent of voters in favor, (2314 votes to 906 votes) the $35.3 million passed Tuesday night. The bond will go toward the construction of a middle school to alleviate overcrowding within the district. The school bond required a two-thirds supermajority vote to pass.
“I’m so thankful for the community getting out and voting.” D93 Superintendent Charles Shackett said Tuesday night. “With no organized opposition this time, I was really surprised that well over 2,000 people came out to vote.”
Shackett said typically 1,100 to 1,800 people usually come out to vote, but there have been more on bond issues in the past.
“We really need it. I think it’s pretty obvious that we needed it. I’m just thankful for all the hard work of the board and the administrative staff, and for the teachers getting out — just so happy that we can get started on this new middle school,” Shackett said.
He said the next step will be a much-needed new elementary school within the district. He said there could be another bond for that in November.
“That’s what we need next,” Shackett said.
Building new schools to combat overcrowding has been a project in District 93 for years. The district successfully passed a $63.5 million bond in 2015 for a new high school and performing arts center; however, the year before, a $92 million bond to build both a new high school and middle school failed to find voter approval.
District 93, which covers parts of Bonneville and Bingham counties, has seen an average increase of nearly 400 students per year for the past decade, according to Shackett.
Shackett said because of the failure of the first ($92 million bond) that the district was not prepared for that kind of population growth.
The new middle school will cater to 1,000 students from seventh and eighth grades.
Shackett said the school should be ready by Fall of 2021. He said it will take nine months to a year for plans to be drafted, bids to be to put together, posted and awarded. After that construction will begin.