- Tuesday, the $92 MIL bond proposal was denied by 109 votes.
- Neighbors against the bond said that the district was asking for too many wants in the proposal.
- District officials say that this is only a learning experience and will help guide them in a better direction if they apply next year.
- Video shows Superintendent Anthony Berthiaume's thoughts on the election.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your neighborhood reporter, Russell Shellberg, here in St. Johns where Tuesday, neighbors struck down a $92 million proposed bond for the district. I'm here talking to the superintendent to see the next steps going forward.
After months of preparation and informing the public about the proposed $92 million bond, the rejection from Tuesday's election is setting in.
"The question was asked to me, 'How do you feel today?' And I don't really know... It's really hard to answer that question," said Superintendent Anthony Berthiaume.
As results came in, the bond was denied by a margin of 109 votes. When I talked with individuals against the bond at the polls, they said that the district was asking for too much in the bond.
But district leaders told me they saw this as an opportunity to make upgrades for the students... And while it's disappointing... They say the only thing they can do is keep moving forward.
"We got to model behavior for our students, right? You lose in life. And what we can do is make sure that we rise above it and focus on the priorities of keeping our kids safe and making sure they have the best learning experience here at St. Johns Public Schools," said, Berthiaume.
Superintendent Berthiaume says some projects like the parking lot and boilers will come out of the general fund... But the district will most likely try for the bond again next May as they analyze what went wrong during this time.
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
