596 for. 595 against. Voters in the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (Neb.) district have approved by a single vote an $18.5 million school bond issue to build a new high school and upgrade its elementary school.
The Sioux City Journal reports that the vote was canvassed Wednesday morning and declared official.
"I certainly anticipated it would be close, but I didn't anticipate it would be a one-vote margin," said Superintendent Jeremy Christiansen.
The official results show 596 votes in favor of the measure and 595 against it. Voter turnout was 65% for the election, which was conducted via mail-in balloting.
In November, voters defeated a $23 million bond issue by 50 votes, 787-737.
Plans call for replacing the existing two-story high school, which was built in 1922 and has required costly repairs to aging HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems.
The elementary school, built in an open concept without full walls or doors, will be renovated to include permanent walls, secured doors and expanded space.
Both of the schools getting upgrades are in Laurel. The middle school, which will not receive any upgrades, is in Coleridge, which merged with Laurel-Concord in 2014.
Christiansen said construction could begin next spring and be finished by the start of the 2023-24 school year.
