School offering chances to learn about referendum

Gary Andersen, Lee Smith, Christine Rupp
Fairmont Area Schools’ $9.85 million referendum is coming up at the end of May. We offered two articles this week that explained not only what the referendum entails, but also how the school is seeking approval from the state for health and safety levy authority. This would allow the school to bypass voter approval for another $12.6 million to work on upgrades throughout the district.

While the two attempts to obtain funding are technically separate, they also are linked in importance, according to school officials. In order to wisely make repairs and install new equipment, having the health and safety funding along with the referendum dollars will be critical. The combination will help the district save on labor costs and use its buildings efficiently during repairs.

The school district is eyeing a wide lineup of fixups, including ventilation systems, air conditioning, sprinklers, electrical upgrades, deferred maintenance, technology upgrades and athletic department upgrades.

If you haven’t had a chance to read our articles or receive an update from school officials, opportunities remain. The school is putting out a special publication on the referendum that will appear in the Sentinel on May 16. On May 17, the school will host a public forum at 9 a.m. in the Five Lakes Elementary School cafeteria.

We encourage district residents to stay, or become, informed about what is involved.