Opponents say bond was too expensive
CHENEY – The School Board meeting April 10 featured a detailed analysis of the community response to a special election bond proposal.
Jenna Larson took the stage to go over the survey findings.
The bond proposal, which aimed to address infrastructure needs within the district, elicited community engagement, she said. With multiple modes of distribution, the proposal garnered responses from 395 individuals.
Of the respondents, 161 voted to approve the bond, while 167 voted to reject it, she said.
Additionally, 24 individuals did not vote, and 43 did not complete the survey.
A breakdown of the responses revealed
distinct patterns among different demographic groups, she said.
Those who supported the bond often had children enrolled in the district and cited the need for infrastructure improvements, particularly the construction of an elementary school in Airway Heights, she said.
Conversely, many who rejected the bond expressed concerns about affordability, citing economic constraints and apprehensions about additional property taxes, she said.
Others voiced concerns about the quality of education and transparency in budget allocation, she said.
A significant portion of respondents who did not vote indicated a desire for the district to reconsider the bond proposal, citing reasons such as forgetfulness or lack of awareness.
Moving forward, Superintendent Ben Ferney emphasized the importance of revisiting facilities planning and soliciting external expertise to address concerns raised by the community.
“Construction management services request for qualifications, we should revisit facilities planning work with Phil Crocker,” he said.
“We need outside lenses on our assessed valuation,” Finance Director Jamie Reed added.“In order to run the bond again in the November election, it needs to be submitted by Aug. 6.”
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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