When primary voters in Lake Zurich, Ill., head to the polls in March, they'll have a chance to decide whether officials at Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 should spend $77.6 million on large-scale upgrades to school buildings.
During a busy meeting Thursday, District 95 board members unanimously approved the referendum question that will ask voters during the March 20 election whether the district should issue bonds to cover the estimated $77.6 million in building work.
If voters approve the referendum, District 95 officials have said they would use the bonds to fund various renovations to school buildings, as well as security and maintenance upgrades, such as the addition of air-conditioning systems to schools that currently operate without central air.
During the meeting, some board members said they liked the idea of letting Lake Zurich voters have the chance to decide a major project at District 95.
"This is an amazing part of our democracy," said board member Eileen Maloney. "I'm pleased to give the public an opportunity to vote on this."
But some residents in attendance said they objected to how district officials went about informing taxpayers of the referendum in the moments leading up to the vote Thursday.
Resident Marty Filson said school officials have made misleading statements on student enrollment projections and spending reports on facility improvements. He also said the board has been short on responding to his questions.
"I'm beginning to think its Kabuki theater," he said.
District board members have said they encouraged public participation and input on the plan after starting the research into possible facility upgrades in 2016.
Ideas for the potential upgrades also were partly based on community outreach efforts that were conducted this past October, school officials said.
Resident Jim Tarbet said board members are wanting to take on debt without knowing exactly how much the building improvements will cost.
But numerous district officials have said the bond issuance, if approved by voters, could actually lower property taxes for homeowners within District 95's boundaries, as officials work to pay off an existing bond by 2019. Officials also have said the improvements should help students in the classroom.
A significant need involves May Whitney Elementary School, which was first built in 1929.
If the referendum is approved, District 95 officials would either demolish or rebuild the elementary school, or do an interior renovation, officials said.
Other proposed upgrades include new library media centers at Seth Paine Elementary School, as well as renovations to Loomis, Adams and Fox Elementary schools, as well as both middle schools and Lake Zurich High School.
In addition, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) labs would be built at the middle schools and high school, officials said.
Earlier this year, a district phone survey about possible financing options and building improvements showed that 73 percent of 646 respondents supported the idea of adding STEAM labs to the middle and high schools, officials said.
Another 61 percent wanted air conditioning for schools that don't have central air, while 60 percent believed constructing a new May Whitney Elementary School is needed.
