Majority Of Voters Favor District 58 Bond Referendum

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Voters Tuesday expressed support for a $179 million bond referendum proposed by Downers Grove Grade School District 58 to help fund repairs, upgrades and expansions throughout the district.

Polls officially closed at 7 p.m. Results are not official. Check back to Patch for updates.

Here's where the unofficial vote totals stood as of Wednesday, with 100 percent of Election Day ballots tallied, according to DuPage County Clerk's Office:

• Yes: 15,892
• No: 7,780

The county's election results page did not indicate how many precincts had been counted

Below is how the bond referendum question appeared on the ballot:

Shall the Board of Education of Downers Grove Grade School District Number 58, DuPage County, Illinois, alter, repair and equip existing school buildings, including improving safety and security, replacing roofs and plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems, updating classrooms, science labs and libraries, improving energy efficiency and increasing accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act, build and equip middle school building additions and improve school sites and issue bonds of said School District to the amount of $179,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?

The district's board of education first began considering presenting the bond referendum question in April. Two open houses were held to get feedback from community members ahead of the November election.

Per the District 58 website, funds will be used to address much-needed building repairs. The last time an initiative for building repairs was approved dates back 30 years, the website notes, adding that the "buildings are in need of significant repairs and renovations."

Some proposed renovations throughout many of the schools include:

• ADA upgrades
• Bathroom renovations
• Electrical work
• Heating, cooling and ventilation upgrades
• Plumbing repairs
• Roofing repairs

Funds will also be used to expand Herrick and O'Neill Middle Schools, so they can also accommodate sixth graders. The District 58 website states, "Reconfiguring the schools would benefit all students by improving the middle school experience and freeing up needed space at the elementary schools."

Below is the rough breakdown of how District 58 intends to use the $179 million:

• Health, safety, security upgrades: $67.6 million
• Maintenance projects: $58.6 million
• Middle school expansion/renovation: $52.8 million

The referendum would raise property taxes for District 58 from 1.98 percent to 2.23 percent, with funds set to be repaid over a period of 20 years. At that rate, annual taxes for a $300,000 home will be roughly $253, according to the district's calculations.

In a statement, District 58 Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell said Wednesday,

"On behalf of District 58, I want to thank the families, staff, Board members and community members who participated in the five-year community engagement process leading up to this vote. While the community has discussed District 58’s facilities for decades, the current Strategic Plan, which began development in fall 2017, created a clear plan toward addressing our facility needs. For those community members who did not support the referendum, please know that we hear you and appreciate your voice. District 58 will continue to expend funds in a fiscally responsible manner while respecting taxpayers. We are very grateful to our community for their continued support of our schools and for recognizing the needs across our facilities."