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The St. Charles D303 school board voted 6-1 on August 10 to put a $282.5 million school building bond referendum on the November 3 ballot.
If approved, the money would fund facility renovations across the district, from new roofs and mechanical systems to a new physical education and athletic facility.
Here's what to know:
The ballot question: Voters will decide whether to authorize the district to issue up to $282.5 million in bonds for site improvements, building additions, and repairs, which include roof replacement, mechanical/electrical/plumbing upgrades, safety and security improvements, ADA accessibility work, expanded Career and Technical Education space, and a new PE and athletic facility.
One nay vote: One board member voted no, saying he supports the district's deferred maintenance needs but "cannot get behind this large number." Another board member who voted yes said she doesn't like "spending, spending, spending" but called the decision too big for seven board members to make alone and said the issue should be decided by voters.
The number shrank a little: The final number lands below the roughly $312 million ceiling the district proposed back in July, when the board ran straw polls on individual project categories.
Also a budget vote: The board also unanimously approved the district's FY2027 tentative budget and five-year financial strategy.
The district's public information phase starts now. Superintendent Paul Gordon's memo on the referendum says the district will begin distributing educational materials to the community on the proposed tax impact and project scope in the coming months.
For more information regarding the community engagement process (including related reports and presentations) that led to this vote, visit the district’s Facilities Committee hub.
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