Brandywine School District is regrouping after voters rejected its tax referendum this week.
The plan sought to bolster the district operating budget while renovating three schools and installing artificial turf fields at three high schools. It failed by a slim 163-vote margin.
The district has the option to try again with a revised referendum later this year – one that addresses concerns raised by residents who voted “no.”
One criticism of the failed referendum was putting funding for operations in one vote with the proposal to install turf athletic fields.
Holodick says its hard to tell if separating them would have changed this week’s result, but adds it is among the things the Brandywine School District board will consider as they look at the possibility of a second referendum vote..
“That is something the board will really have to think through – in terms of whether they would continue to keep turf field as part of the request and whether it would be a separate vote," said Holodick. "Those are all things they’ll have to consider.”
Holodick adds district officials will also provide the board with information on where budget cuts may be made should it opt not to try a second referendum.
“You’re going to have the executive team working with building leaders around where those cuts would be in terms of programs, personnel and budgets – and give that information to the board so that, if indeed the decision is not to go back out, they would have some option s where those cuts would come from,” said Holodick.
The referendum request rejected this week would have cost the average district homeowner an extra $243 a year for the next three years and $206 a year after that once the $1.7 million turf project was completed.
