Barnum school’s $1.9 million referendum passes

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Barnum students will get a little more elbow room at school thanks to a referendum passed on Tuesday. Unofficial results show the referendum passed 306-160.

The votes will be certified by early next week.

“It’s a great day today,” said Barnum Schools Superintendent David Bottem. “I have a huge smile on my face.”

Voters approved a $1.9 million referendum to pay for an 8,000-square-foot addition with three new classrooms and a new administrative office area, as well as basic remodeling and the addition of a new, energy-efficient freezer for the elementary school kitchen.

Passing the referendum will not raise property owners’ taxes, because the district is one of a handful of capital loan schools in the state. As such, the state will essentially provide an up-front loan for the work.

The next steps in the project include creating blueprints and obtaining bids, with groundbreaking to take place later this summer, according to Bottem.

“We have a fairly aggressive schedule but we will do all we can to have the building ready for students by fall 2009,” he said.

This is the second successful referendum in recent years. In 2002, voters approved a $1.6 million referendum that paid for upgrades throughout district buildings.

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