OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — There are a number of elections being tallied Tuesday night in West Michigan. Voters weighed in on issues like school upgrades, public safety, and infrastructure.
Allendale Public Schools lost its second bid to get a bond proposal approved by the community.
With 100% of precincts reporting, the $88 million bond failed, with 2,392 voting no and 1,661 voting yes to the proposal.
“We're disappointed that we won't be able to deliver on that to our kids. But you know, the community has spoken. This is the way the system works,” Allendale Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Garth Cooper said.
The money would have gone to several capital improvement projects, including building a multi-purpose field house, a new STEM building, expanding the high school cafeteria and adding more classrooms.
Cooper tells FOX 17 they will now focus more on critical issues.
“There were areas that were identified that have to be addressed. We have boilers that need to be replaced, there are roofs that need to be fixed. There are certain things that we need to address, and we can't ignore those. We will address those through the general fund,” Cooper said.
The superintendent said these projects are meant to keep the district moving forward.
“There are a lot of people who came out and voted yes, and we appreciate them for that. And you know, I appreciate that there are a lot of people in the community, not just parents, but also other community members, who are always willing to invest in children and so we appreciate them very much,” Cooper said.
The current 12 mills is set to expire in 2033.
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