Voters in the Litchfield School District have a $13.99 million decision to make.
While early voting has been going for more than a month, many district voters will go to the polls Tuesday, May 9, to cast their vote in a referendum that will decide the fate of a bond proposal that would fund a host of health-and-wellness related improvements at the school, including construction of a new eight-lane swimming pool, eight new tennis courts, two new baseball fields and new locker rooms. Also included in the package are office and community space, and other site improvement work.
All of the projects are related to construction of the Litchfield Area Recreation Center, or LARC, a cooperative venture between the school district and city of Litchfield.
The city is funding construction of a four-station fieldhouse with elevated walking track through a local-option sales tax and with a $5 million grant from the state, which required it to collaborate with the school district on a health and wellness center in order to receive the funding.
City voters approved the local sales tax during a referendum in November. During that same election Litchfield School District voters narrowly defeated the bond proposal, which at that time asked for $13.5 million. The amount has increased as projected costs have risen, but the ask remains the same: The school district seeks funding to build a new pool and other spaces that will be combined with the city’s field house space to create one community wellness and recreation center.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. All district voters will cast ballots at Church of St. Philip, 821 Fifth St. E., Litchfield on the day of the election. Early voting continues through Monday at the Meeker County Auditor’s Office, 325 Sibley Ave. N. Voters can cast a ballot there from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday. Extra voting hours also are set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, and then from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at the Auditor’s Office.
According to district figures, the proposed bond, if approved, would raise property taxes by $6 per month beginning in 2024 on a typical residential property valued at $170,000 in the district.
