November 9, 2023 3:30 a.m.

Officials with the Oakland School District are reacting to the apparent defeat of their $6 million bond measure in a special district election on Tuesday.

Superintendent Jeff Clark told News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN, “I’m really disappointed. I thought we had a very reasonable ask and that we were trying to do what was best for our students”.

The proposal would have paid for renovations to Oakland schools and funded construction of a gymnasium at Lincoln Middle School. Clark said continuing to host games in the Washington School gym is becoming increasingly difficult. Clark said that building – the original school for the community – was built around 1912. The downstairs bathrooms have been condemned, so players and fans have to use porta potties. Clark said the bathrooms would cost a ton of money to fix and would be a waste in the end, as they would still be in a building that is over 100 years old.

Clark said, “It’s very discouraging to see the results and head back to the drawing board with not a lot of options to turn to”.

Board Chair Dan Forbess said since 2008 the district has asked property owners to support facility improvement efforts using the bond process four times – in 2008, 2009, 2018 and again this year. Forbess said the measure in November 2008 lost by a slim margin. He said afterward, the district listened to voters, reduced the facility projects scope and returned to voters with a revised ballot measure. Forbess said in May 2009, it was overwhelmingly supported by voters. Forbess said, “I am hopeful a similar process – listen to voters concerns and returned a revised measure to the ballot in 2024 – may be possible if our school district leadership and board members agree to do so”.

Clark said staff and students at Oakland Schools are resilient, and “we will overcome this bump in the road and will find a way to best serve our students and community”.