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Belgrade School District presents smaller bond proposal for November ballot; seeks new elementary and optional gym
Summary
Superintendent Divi Simorad told the council the district will ask voters on Nov. 4 to approve $6.63 million to finish a 250-seat elementary using leftover 2019 bond funds and an optional $5 million gym; presenters estimated a roughly $115 annual tax impact for a $600,000 home if both questions pass and said construction could start in March for a 2027 opening.
Superintendent Divi Simorad and Assistant Superintendent Trey Olsen presented a revised, scaled-back bond package to the Belgrade City Council on Sept. 15 for placement on the Nov. 4 mail ballot.
The proposal: The district is asking voters to approve $6,630,000 (ballot question 1) to complete a roughly 250-student elementary school on 60 acres off Frank Road, using about $20 million remaining from a 2019 bond. A second, separate ballot question would authorize an additional $5,000,000 to finish a full-size gymnasium now rather than adding it later when the school expands.
"We're about 140 seats short in our elementary school," Superintendent Divi Simorad said, explaining that the smaller school (a 250-seat design) is meant to allow fifth graders to be moved out of the middle school and back into elementary grades. The presenters said the reduced ask reflects voter feedback after a previous $60 million proposal failed.
Tax and timeline: District staff estimated that if both questions pass, the combined tax impact would be about $115 a year for a $600,000 house; if the gym question does not pass, that estimate falls to under $100. Officials said construction could begin in March after a successful vote and that the new school could open in 2027.
Operations and staffing: District presenters said most instructional staff are already in place and that administrative and support staffing needs could be met by shifting existing personnel; the district expects to absorb most additional operating costs within its regular budget.
Public comment and next steps: The council opened the public comment period for the bond presentation and received no speakers. There was no council action required at this meeting; the district will continue outreach to voters ahead of the Nov. 4 election.
