MT. VERNON, IL (WSIL) � Bethel Grade School officials are asking voters in the Dodds 2 district to approve a bond referendum they say is needed to replace a section of their school that’s more than 100 years old.
“People do see it because they’re in the building a lot,� said Bethel Superintendent and Principal Charley Cass.
The referendum is asking voters to approve nearly $4 million in bonds.
“It should be easier to fund new school construction, but it totally isn’t,� Cass said. “So for us, we’ve got to ask the voters for permission to sell bonds.�
Twenty-five years ago, voters passed a similar referendum to address many of these issues but Cass says the matching grant to accompany the bond was no long available at the time.
“This tine around, 25 years later, the age is definitely showing,� Cass said.
As optimistic as Cass is that the referendum will pass, he says these things can’t always be predicted in a favorable light. That’s why they’re doing what they can to get the word out to voters in the district.
“We made a commitment to either replace or upgrade and it seems to be the better idea to replace it,� Cass said.
When it’s all said and done, Cass believes voters will support the referendum to help improve the future students attending Bethel Grade School.
“It’s just a great, tight community feeling,� he said, “and it feels great. I know those folks will come out and support because they want to see this school thrive and move forward.
“But that’s gonna be one of the ways we have to do it, is we’re going to have to rebuild that wing.�
