Eastmont School Capital Bond Officially A Failure With Final Tally

The Eastmont School District is moving forward after its $117 million bond package was rejected by voters for a second time in two months. 

Final results released Friday show the bond actually lost some ground in the latest election compared to the results in February's ballot.  

The votes were close as the approval rate in each election was above 59 percent of the 60 percent required for bonds to pass. 

Eastmont Superintendent Becky Berg said the district will now figure out its next move to deal with old and deteriorating school buildings now that the vote is finalized. 

Friday's final tally' showed the bond getting an approval rating of 59.04% with 5,130 yes votes. It needed 5, 213 votes to pass. It fell 83 votes short. 

The bond fell short by just 34 in February, with the final tally showing 59.56 percent. 

The Eastmont School Board voted unanimously shortly after the first effort failed to fast-track another vote on the bond. 

At the time, Berg said it was critical to try again as quickly as possible due to rising construction costs and the escalating need to address repairs the bond was seeking to fund at the district's schools. 

According to the district, the bond would have modernized three of Eastmont’s oldest and most overcrowded schools - Cascade, Kenroy, and Lee Elementary - and included major upgrades at Rock Island Elementary. 

It also would have enhanced security and accessibility improvements at all of the district’s schools. 

In addition, the district said the State Legislature’s recent increase in state-provided construction funds would have increased the state match for the project by $7 million - $20 million to $27 million.