Lolo School Officials Try to Rework Failed Bond Issue

The $10 million dollar bond issue to build a new Lolo School failed in October, and now, officials are meeting to decide their next step in expanding the aging facility.

Lolo District School Superintendent Mike Magone said that officials met on Monday, November 4 to discuss the facility and the failed bond issue proposal.

"The board held a work session last night to, number one, take input from the community, and to discuss what steps the community might want to take to address those ongoing concerns," Magone said. "The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss what the next steps might look like, including the possibility of running another bond issue proposal with some adjustments from the first round."

Magone said a meeting immediately after the bond issue failed drew some helpful comments from voters in Lolo.

"I think the most help came from people who indicated that they were a little bit confused by some of the information that was out and about there," Magone said. "Some were confused about whether there was going to be a middle school and an elementary school, or two elementary schools, or just a variety of things that we could help clarify."

Magone said a decision to run another bond issue may come within the next few weeks.

"The board, at their upcoming November 14 board meeting, will, I think come to some decisions as to whether they will run another bond issue, when and what the specifics might be," Magone said. "One of the things we must clarify is that, if we run another issue, will be one elementary school, a K-4, and one middle school, a 5-8."

Magone said officials have already done all it can to improve safety and security at the school, but that much more money is needed to build a new facility. The voters in Lolo turned down the last proposal by only 43 votes.