Montevideo voters reject $61 million proposal for new school buildings

On Tuesday, Montevideo school district voters rejected a proposal to invest $61.03 million in the district’s buildings.

The Montevideo Forward plan was the result of two years of engineering assessments and community meetings, including 12 listening sessions and two district surveys. The findings concluded the district’s aging buildings required investments to meet today’s standards for safety, space, educational best practices and maintenance.

Two requests were put to Montevideo voters: $47.75 million to replace Sanford Education Center and Ramsey Elementary School with a new elementary school for students through fourth grade, and also to remodel the current middle school to accommodate grade reconfiguration and improve security. The second request would have added a performing arts center, and band and choir classrooms to the current high school for $13.28 million.

On Tuesday evening, Superintendent Luther L. Heller stated, “While the results are not what we would have hoped, we respect the outcome of today’s election, especially during the current pandemic …. We will re-evaluate our options to address the needs of our aging buildings and re-engage the community on the best way to move forward.”