JAMESTOWN, N.D. (AP) – The Barnes County North School District
is moving forward with a centralized school despite voters rejecting the idea three times in about a year.
Superintendent Doug Jacobson says the district has formed a building authority to sell bonds to finance the $14.5 million project. The authority will lease the school to the district and use the payments to pay off the bonds.
The new school building near Leal will replace facilities north of Rogers, at Wimbledon and at Spiritwood.
Voters in September 2010, April 2011 and October 2011 rejected a centralized school. A majority of voters in each election favored the idea but the proposal needed a super-majority, or 60 percent approval, to pass. Jacobson says the building authority route follows the wishes of the majority.