Adams County Elections officials have finalized the Westminster Public Schools proposed bond language and placed the issue on the ballot as 4C. The language clarifies that 111 million dollars in debt can be approved without imposing any new tax.

 

If approved, the measure would extend the 2006 bond that paid for the construction of Westminster High School and the Hodgkins Leadership Academy and make significant safety and construction upgrades across the district including installing air conditioning in almost every school. The 2006 bond will be fully paid for next year.

 

The ballot language specifies four areas where the money would go:

 

• PROVIDING STUDENT SAFETY AND SECURITY UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO ALL SCHOOL BUILDINGS

• EXPANDING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) AND SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS TO EARN WORKFORCE CERTIFICATIONS AND JOB EXPERIENCE

• UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO SCHOOL BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY

• UPGRADING THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC) UNITS IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS

 

$40 million of the money would be invested in Iver C Ranum An Innovation Campus which will bring state-of-the-art hands-on learning opportunities to students.

 

Phase one of the campus opened in August with plans for additions down the line, including opportunities for continuing education and job training for adults.

 

More details of how bond proceeds would be used can be found at destinationwps.org.