Makenzie Huber
Special to the Devils Lake Journal
The Devils Lake school referendum vote to build a new middle school on the high school campus and expand the Prairie View Elementary School for $31.8 million did not pass in last night’s vote, according to preliminary tallies reported by the school district.
More than 2,200 residents turned out to cast their vote in the matter, with 52% voting against building a new middle school.
54% of voters did not support the second question on the ballot either, to raise the debt limit needed to construct the buildings.
The results are not final until canvassed by the school board at their next school board meeting on Monday, Oct. 24.
Now that the decision has been made, the school board is left to reevaluate their options at Central Middle School, an 85-year-old building. The school, which currently houses 531 children grades 5-8, requires several upgrades — including a new boiler, roof repairs, air conditioning and sprinkler system installation and renovations to be ADA compliant —that would cost about $17.2 million over the next five to 10 years.
The space is also crowded and not fit for uniform classroom sizes, Devils Lake Public Schools Superintendent Matt Bakke told the Devils Lake Journal in previous coverage. For example, he said, the current CMS gym is just over 5,000 square feet, which isn’t adequate space for gym classes and events. Fifth and sixth graders have gym class in the cafeteria because of the lack of space.
Mike Connor, a retired resident in Devils Lake and treasurer of Friends of Central School, attended his entire education at Central School, graduating in 1961. He believes that students can still get a quality education inside the 85-year-old building and voted against the new middle school.
“We just feel there are too many unknowns and questions,” Connor said in previous coverage. “We say they’re getting the cart before the horse. We need to take a hard look at what needs to be done first and then work together to do it.”
Connor said that although the Community Facility Task Force has reviewed information about Central School and recommendations from ICON Architectural Group, he doesn’t believe the school has been studied enough and wants to see more architectural firms review the situation.
Gary Stenson, a member of the Friends of Central School and property owner in Devils Lake, said he is OK with the Prairie View expansion and that moving Fifth graders to the elementary level “makes sense,” but he thinks there are more opportunities at Central Middle School that have yet to be explored.
Stenson added that if there isn’t enough room for children at Central Middle School that it would be “easy to add” an addition to the building.
Connor said that the group will stand with the school board to “take an honest look” at what the school district’s options are.
“We feel there is potential with Central School to use it for what it was designed for, which is education,” Connor said.