Date for second bond election yet to be determined

The West Fargo School Board's Planning and Development Committee met on July 21, to discuss possible dates for a second bond election. They are in the process of analyzing why the first bond failed and brainstorming about what changes should be made to the building proposal before presenting it to the community.

"We need to open up our minds, and not use tunnel vision," Duane Hanson said. "I think we need to rethink the whole thing piece by piece."

The committee will meet next week to look at possible ways to reduce the size of the package, look at alternative funding available through state or federal programs that could offset the cost to taxpayers, and set up a timeline for getting the message out to the public.

"We need to simplify the message," Superintendent Dana Diesel Wallace said. "I think what people want to hear is what it's going to cost," she added.

With a low voter turnout, some of the factors the committee attributes for the failure of the first bond election were that the package was too big, the price tag was too high, people were confused about how their taxes would be affected, and issues surrounding adding a second high school.