Ridgefield administrators were disappointed to learn the two bond measures that would have built new schools failed to reach its required 60% plus one vote majority in last week’s special election.
The school district said they will reach out to the community regarding the failed bonds to gather feedback.
As of April 23, the unofficial results for the special election indicate that both Ridgefield School District’s propositions 10 and 11 failed to gather the needed votes, with 100% votes counted. Proposition 11 failed by a greater margin. In order to pass, a bond requires 60% plus one vote majority. As of press time, an update was expected to take place Monday.
Proposition 10 results showed the bond failing 5,464-3,817, or 58.87%-41.13%. As of press time, the measure is expected to fail.
Proposition 10, a $70 million bond, would have funded the construction of a new 75,000-square-foot elementary school and an expansion at Ridgefield High School, including 10 classrooms and a space for career and technical education classes. The proposition would have additionally paid for roof repairs for Union Ridge and South Ridge elementaries and Ridgefield High School.
Proposition 11 failed far short of its required votes — 4,707-4,532, or 50.95%-49.05%.
Proposition 11, proposed at $120 million, would have funded a new 125,000-square-foot intermediate or middle school and a new wrestling room at Ridgefield High School. The bond would have paid for playground updates at the Union Ridge and South Ridge elementaries and resurfacing of Ridgefield High School’s track and field.
In a City Council meeting last week, residents expressed their disappointment in the bond’s failure to pass. Kelliana Cole, a parent and member of Citizens for Ridgefield Schools , said the 60% plus one vote majority rule for bonds is unfair for students.
“Our schools are busting out the seams, and our students, teachers and families deserve better,” Cole said. “...This rule unfairly penalizes our youngest citizens and jeopardizes their educational wellbeing.”
Ridgefield Mayor Ron Onslow told residents that the city has spoken with state legislators about decreasing the requirements for bonds to pass to 50% for years. In an interview with The Reflector, Onslow said he is hopeful that next year’s legislators will allow further discussion on the failure of bonds.
“I believe that it should be 50 percent like everything else because, basically, the minority rules,” Onslow said. “... Of the 21 bonds that were run this year, so far, only seven have succeeded. That ought to be a message.”
The mayor is concerned about the bond’s failure negatively impacting the students’ learning experience.
“When I first got on the council, we had two grade schools in the city of Richfield itself,” Onslow said. “Now, the school district is bigger than just the city of Ridgefield, but the city of Ridgefield was 3000 people, and now we’re at 17,000, and we still have two grade schools. [Almost] a third of our students are in portables, and we hate to see that. I think it’s a waste of money…”
In an April 26 press release, the school district acknowledged both measures likely failed. The release stated that the district’s leadership seeks community feedback to better understand the voters’ perspectives.
“The district will continue to engage with the community to understand their concerns and refine our proposals moving forward. We believe that, by working together, we can achieve a solution that meets the educational needs of our children and aligns with the priorities of our community,” the release stated.
According to the school district’s website, 1,337 new students have enrolled since the last permanent classroom space was constructed from its previous passing bond. The Ridgefield School District has not successfully passed a bond since 2017.
The school district is asking voters how and if they voted, their reasons for voting, and how they would improve the proposed bonds. Ridgefield voters can send feedback to the school district at smore.com/n/jyt2wr-week-in-re view?ref=email#ba33eypfee.
