Voters turn down $3M Deer Park bond

A $3 million bond issue request in Deer Park School was defeated by a wide margin on Tuesday.

Voters rejected the bond issue by a 207 to 126 margin, according to unofficial results. The mail-ballot election concluded on Sept. 19.

The bond issue would have been used to expand the school in addition to upgrading aging facilities.

According to the Hungry Horse News, the expansion project would have joined an 1880s schoolhouse with existing classrooms while relocating school offices that formerly served as a teacherage to accommodate enrollment growth over 20 years. Funding would have also been used to demolish a decades-old quonset hut that used to serve as a gym.

While there isn’t yet a plan “B,” Deer Park Principal Dan Block said the building committee and school maintenance employee Jake Horn would work on a priority list of projects to meet school needs in the short-term, such as upgrading the phone system.

“The search for extra funding will resume. My incredible staff will continue to offer quality programs in a positive climate and we will persevere and move forward in the ‘Deer Park way,’” Block said.

“I do think the building committee will look at all options including running another bond with less square footage and maybe not as many specialty classrooms to cut costs, but address some of the immediate needs,” he added.

Block also thanks voters and residents who provided input and shared ideas with the school’s building committee, but also reiterated the school’s needs.

“No matter how you voted, I think everyone agrees the quonset hut needs to be replaced and we have infrastructure, security, classroom space, and storage issues that have to be addressed,” Block said.