Voters fail to support general obligation bond for DeWitt school district

The Central DeWitt Community School District has issued a statement after Tuesday's election in which voters failed to support a general obligation bond.

"Thank you to everyone who voted in Tuesday’s election, and to all who took the time to learn about the Connected Campus plan, ask questions, and share their views. We are especially grateful to the petition signers and volunteers who helped bring this question to the ballot," said the statement signed by Stephanie Mishler, superintendent; Jodi Prosise, school board president; and the Central DeWitt Board of Education.

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters did not approve a $33.7 million general obligation bond for a Connected Campus facilities plan. Unofficial results show 1,317 votes (29.9%) in favor, and 3,091 votes (70.1%) opposed. Iowa law requires 60% approval for a school bond to pass.

"These results make it clear that the Connected Campus plan, as presented, did not have the support of our community," the statement continues. "It would be premature to attribute that outcome to any one factor. Over the coming weeks and months, we will need to re-engage our staff and community to better understand the concerns and what a plan that can earn broad support might look like. The infrastructure, safety, and learning space needs identified through our comprehensive facilities planning have not gone away. We remain committed to addressing those needs thoughtfully while continuing our most important work of improving student learning and outcomes."

"We want to thank the many community members who attended tours, informational meetings, and other events this fall to learn about the bond issue," the statement says. "Your questions and feedback were valuable, and that kind of engagement will be just as important moving forward. In the months ahead, the district will continue to share information about our facilities and host additional opportunities for community members to learn more, ask questions, and voice their opinions. We encourage everyone to stay involved, because the path forward should reflect the priorities of the community we serve," the statement concludes.

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