Voters Reject Funding For Aging Little Falls High School Upgrades

LITTLE FALLS (WJON News) -- It is back to the drawing board for one Central Minnesota School District. The two-question referendum for funds to remodel the aging Little Falls High School failed in Tuesday's vote.

READ MORE:  Little Falls Considers Big Changes For Middle And High Schools

WJON will speak with Superintendent Greg Johnson on Wednesday about what's next.

Both questions failed by a wide margin, with question one being voted down 2,220 to 1,536, and question two failing by a 2,891 to 1,408 margin.  The first question was seeking over $34 million dollars to remodel parts of the high school and add other improvements. The second question was looking for over $9 million to add a new gymnasium to the high school.

The Little Falls High School was built in 1972.

If the referendum had passed, the Little Falls School District would have closed the over 60-year-old Middle School and transitioned those students to the high school and Lindbergh Elementary. The funds would have come through a 20-year bond had the referendum passed, and school officials say closing the Middle School would have saved the district about $1 million a year.  You can see some pictures from the aging Middle School building below.

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READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT