CROFTON – A neighboring school district to the north of Wausa Public Schools is going to try again to get voters to approve a bond in a special election to help pay for a proposed building project.
In March 2022, a proposed $18.9 million bond was rejected by Crofton Community School voters by a final tally of 711 against and 492 for it. Two years later, school district officials are hoping voters will turn in their ballots by March 12 and approve a $12.5 million bond.
They also have been encouraging people to learn about the bond – including at an informational open house held on Feb. 19 at the elementary school – and the building project it would help pay for.
“The main difference in this bond from the last one is that it is $6 million less,” Crofton Superintendent Chris Look said. “The elementary is staying at its current site, it is a combination of renovation/ new construction and the district is contributing $1.1 million towards the project.”
He explained how the bond would help meet some of the current needs of the school district.
“The number one item it addresses is school safety,” Look said. “It would add safe and secure entrances at both the elementary school and high school. It also attaches our industrial technology building to the high school.”
He noted Crofton is out of space at the elementary school.
“This bond would help give us two extra classrooms that could be used for class size reduction or additional space for students and/ or staff to use,” Look said. “It also moves the lunch room out of the gym to a separate space.”
He explained the construction work that would happen at the high school.
“It would provide two additional locker rooms, which would allow space to split junior high and high school students up along with a space for visiting schools,” Look said.
He noted the school district’s multipurpose/wrestling room allows a safe space for wrestling practice.
“It would also be used as a multipurpose room for a variety of classroom and activity uses,” Look said. “The fitness room allows a larger and safer space for weight training. It would also be available for the public to use.”
For more information on the bond and building project, people may go online to croftonwarriorsbond. com.
Because this special election is only by mail, registered eligible voters residing within the school district – which covers parts of Cedar and Knox counties – will receive a ballot by mail at their address as it appears on the voter registration registers. There will be no polling places open for voting.
Ballots have been mailed out by the Cedar County and Knox County Clerk’s Offices to registered voters in those counties who live within the school district’s boundaries.
Registered voters who will be absent from their residences during that time may apply for a ballot to be mailed to a different address than the address at which they are registered or they may apply to appoint an agent to personally pick up their ballot using the form provided by the election commissioner in the county in which the voters are registered.
March 1 is the last day for in-person voter registration at the Cedar County and Knox County Clerk’s Offices for the special election.
Voters must use the respective county they reside in for returning ballots.
All ballots – whether mailed, hand-delivered or put into a courthouse drop box – must be in the possession of the Cedar County and Knox County clerks no later than 5 p.m. on Election Day, March 12.
People may call 402-254-7411 or 402-288-5604 for more information on the special election.
