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Interim survey shows resistance to largest bond question; district to refine package and messaging
Summary
An early community survey on facility projects and an operating‑tax increase returned roughly 70% opposition to the higher‑cost question; respondents prioritized repairs to existing buildings over new construction. Consultants and staff will reshape options and focus messaging ahead of broader district surveys in spring.
Consultants presenting a district community engagement update told the Board Dec. 10 that an initial, limited survey produced an approximately 70% opposed / 30% supportive split for a higher‑cost operating‑tax question that would have financed a broad set of projects including a new middle school and other major items.
Craig Meadows, the consultant, said the survey was a thin slice of responses and was intentionally ended early when the results showed a trend; the result indicates the need to refine the set of projects and the price point before a broad district survey. He reported that respondents consistently ranked maintaining and modernizing existing schools as the top priority; when respondents were more informed about a specific need—such as middle‑school capacity driven by boundary analysis—they were likelier to support a targeted middle‑school project.
Meadows summarized that community awareness matters: about 60 percent of respondents said they were aware of the boundary process and that those respondents tended to be more supportive of a potential referendum. The consultants recommended further education and testing of lower‑cost packaging options (for example a tax swap or a narrower set of projects) and said they would return with refined questions after the district’s January strategic‑planning session and in time to test options after the March primary.
Next steps: consultants will bring refined project packages and messaging to the January 10 strategic‑planning meeting and return to the board with draft survey language and options for lower‑cost questions after community testing.
