Ottawa Elementary School District agrees with consultant to study possible referendum

The Ottawa Elementary School District 141 will work with Green and Associates on gauging the public’s input on a possible property tax referendum.

The board has not made a decision on whether to seek a future property tax referendum, which has been discussed as an option to replace Lincoln School.

Green and Associates is a community engagement company that would be collecting information from the public on whether it is open to the referendum or if the public has alternative suggestions.

“We have a huge need in our district for facilities that need to be addressed,” Superintendent Michelle Lee said.

The board approved the agreement not to exceed a cost of $32,000. If a referendum were to pass, there would be no fee to the district.

The consulting firm can help the district gather and organize information, host public meetings or share information with the public, among other tasks involving a possible referendum, including exploring if the community wants to move forward with one, Lee has said at previous meetings.

The future viability of Lincoln School was questioned during an Aug. 9 meeting that involved public input. The school doesn’t have central air conditioning and is in need of security upgrades, among other things.

In order for the district to build a new school, which was once estimated at between $20 million and $30 million, it would have to pass a property tax increase referendum. The earliest a referendum could go on the ballot would be April.