IR referendum quietly passes

The unofficial vote tally for the referendum held Tuesday by the Indian River School District showed it passed by an overwhelming majority, with a count of 611 for and 84 against, with all polling-place numbers in.

“We are pleased,” said district superintendent Dr. Susan Bunting. She said it has been a relatively quiet referendum because there was no increased taxation, simply a transfer of funds.

“It wasn’t what we call a live-or-die referendum,” said Bunting. “It was unique in that it wasn’t a vote ‘for’ more taxes or ‘against’ more taxes. It was a transfer of money.”

According to district staff, IRSD currently has $706,094 in surplus funding from the recently-completed roof replacement projects at Long Neck Elementary, North Georgetown Elementary and Selbyville Middle schools. Those projects were approved by district voters in a 2006 referendum and were completed for less than the anticipated budget, leaving a surplus in the accounts.

“In order to use these funds for other projects, the district must seek voter approval to amend the original Certificates of Necessity to include the classroom and building expansion projects. Approval must also be sought to transfer $137,000 from the Long Neck roof account to the North Georgetown and Selbyville accounts,” staff noted on the district’s Web site.

Voting “for” the referendum supported authorizing the district to amend the Certificates of Necessity and authorizing the transfer of $100,000 to North Georgetown for the construction of a two-classroom addition and $37,000 to Selbyville Middle for a building expansion.

If the funding transfer had not been approved, the state would have reclaimed $423,656, or 60 percent, of the unused construction budget balance.