Arrowhead Referendum Vote Set To Take Place

After roughly six years of research, planning and hearing community opinions, the date is set for the Arrowhead Referendum vote. November 8 will be the day to voice your opinion.

The summary of the proposed projects includes: Life Safety, Security, and Infrastructure, Instructional Areas at North and South Campuses, Replacement Swimming Pool, and the Fine Arts Auditorium. The estimated total cost is $64.7 million.

Two questions will appear on the ballot. Question one: shall Arrowhead be allowed to make Campus-wide school buildings and  site improvements not exceeding $64,700,000? Question two: shall Arrowhead be allowed to make annual operational funding on a recurring basis to support annual operating costing roughly $173,000?

According to the referendum fact sheet, the site improvements to North and South campus include: Renovation of classrooms, Special Education areas with real-world transition spaces, labs, student services, and library/media/technology areas to improve ADA accessibility, safety, flexibility and collaboration. It also includes renovation of traditional Technical Education spaces at North Campus into a Design Engineering Manufacturing Center to meet the need for career-ready programs to serve 11 and 12 grade.  

The fact sheet also says, the swimming pool is also set to be replaced. This includes the construction of a new, eight-lane, 40-yard pool at North Campus to replace the outdated, undersized, six-lane, 25-yard pool, increasing deck space and total spectator capacity to 600 seats, and conversion of existing pool into physical education/fitness area and storage space.

In addition to the new fine arts auditorium, the fact sheet says, construction of a new 1,200-seat theater addition at North campus will replace the significantly undersized theater (439 seats currently serving approximately 1,200 students). The creation of safe, ADA accessible, and appropriate areas for dressing rooms, scenery “fly” ringging, an orchestra pit, and scene construction storage. Maximization of the existing theater for large group instruction and community use.

Gayle Morrison has worked at Arrowhead for about seventeen years. She said, “I will probably vote yes. [The referendum] will maintain home values and there are some needs for [improvements]. At this time, I don’t know why I wouldn’t vote in favor of it.”

Linda Zellmer is a resident in Hartland and says she will be voting no to the referendum. She said, “I think that Arrowhead could use the renovations, but it is money I don’t want to contribute.”

The estimated impact to taxpayers according to the referendum: