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WSYM FOX 47
No $90M Bond: What's Next for Marshall-Albion Schools?
By Darius Udrys,
2024-05-09
Video shows Marshall Public Schools Superintendent Rebecca Jones and the breakdown of the vote.
At Marshall Public Schools, there's disappointment at the failure of Tuesday’s $90M school bond measure.
The City of Marshall voted "YES", City of Albion voted "NO".
BONUS: Watch my full interview with Jones UNCUT below.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
In the Marshall School District, a second bond proposal goes down to defeat. Here’s a breakdown of what happened and where the District goes from here.
The feeling at Marshall Public Schools Wednesday:
“Yes, we’re disappointed with yesterday’s outcome,” says Superintendent Rebecca Jones.
It's back to the drawing board after a $90M bond proposal was voted down…despite what voters acknowledge was much better communication about it than in 2021, when a $45M bond proposal was rejected by a much bigger margin.
“The District still has $150M in needs, and the outcome from yesterday would have addressed $90M of the needs,” says Jones.
In one school district made up of two central communities, a gap emerged in Tuesday's vote.
Precinct information shows that 52% of voters in the City of Marshall voted for the proposal...compared to just 45% in Albion.
Locals I talked to in Marshall pointed to some mistrust of their District’s financial stewardship as well as resentment about how much the measure would benefit Albion, which merged with Marshall Public Schools in 2016.
As for why Jones thinks voters rejected the bond:
“In the economy today, $90M was a large ask for folks. And so I believe that some people struggled with that….And then there were some concerns about the athletic package that was in the bond, so we will continue to look for that feedback.”
Jones says the District now needs to go out and hear more from voters — especially those who voted against it — to see what the district can do differently next time.
A forum has been set up by the District for more listening and discussions.
BONUS: WATCH THE FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW WITH SUPERINTENDENT OF MARSHALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS REBECCA JONES:
Interview with Marshall Public Schools Superintendent Rebecca Jones
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