Warden bonds vote comes up short

District considers smaller project list

WARDEN — The number of affirmative votes for a Warden School District bonds proposal increased by 1 percent Friday, but the proposal is still 2 percentage points short of passing.

The latest count showed 57.8 percent of people voted yes on the $9.34 million proposal. A 60-percent supermajority is required for bonds proposals to pass.

To date, 369 yes votes were counted and 269 no votes were counted.

"It does go to show that when you're a property-poor district it's really hard to pass bonds," said District Superintendent Sandra Sheldon.

The district has a smaller tax base compared with Othello and Moses Lake, both of which successfully passed bonds proposals this year.

As a result of the apparent failure, the school district voted Monday to put together a shorter list of projects for the May 15 special election. Sheldon said she plans to bring a resolution to the school board at the regular meeting Thursday. The board would need to move forward with the resolution at the meeting, in time for the Friday deadline.

The new proposal includes modernization and expansion of the cafeteria-kitchen and the addition of a middle school and high school music suite.

"Those are really the top priorities from the committee," Sheldon said.

Warden High School Principal Leonard Lusk spoke about the need for an improved cafeteria-kitchen in the district.

"When I was hired seven years ago it needed repairs and it hasn't fixed itself," Lusk said.

The high school and middle school band and choirs practice in the elementary school music room, forcing the elementary school children into a portable, he said.

"Our high school has displaced the elementary school program," he said.

With a new music suite addition, elementary school students can return to their music room, he said.

Results of the bonds proposal are certified March 28.