Joliet voters approve District 86 $99.5 million bond referendum

Improvements are coming to Joliet Public Schools District 86 in the form of two new school buildings and upgrades of existing facilities.

“We are in high spirits,” Theresa Rouse, District 86 superintendent said on Wednesday. “We are very, very happy.”

More than 5,300 voters were in favor of a $99.5 million bond referendum from Joliet Public Schools District 86 while 2,117 voters were against it, at about 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

“That is amazing and so exciting,” Rouse said. “That tells me the community is behind the district in getting this work done.”

The Will County Clerk’s office will certify the results by April 25, District 86 said.

School officials now need to finalize the bond issuance and prioritize the projects, District 86 said.

Projects include replacing Gompers Junior High (originally built in 1958) and Hufford Junior High (built in 1956), as well as adding four classrooms and a multipurpose room at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and addressing technology infrastructure, District 86 said.

District 86 also plans to use referendum and existing district funds for accessibility improvements, restroom renovations, and security and safety upgrades at all 21 schools, District 86 said.

Rouse said she heard plenty of positive feedback from the referendum committee as it did its work across the community. Although no one wanted to “count their chickens before they hatched,” Rouse said she felt hopeful voters would approve the referendum.

And if they hadn’t?

Rouse said District 86 would have done their best to meet the needs of the facilities in a fiscally-responsible manner.

“But without the support of the referendum, that would have been tough,” Rouse said.

J.D. Ross, who co-chaired the Citizens in Support of District 86 Referendum with Tony Contos, said District 86 praised the information pieces District 86 created since it help the committee easily do its job. Contos said the information was “complete, direct and easy to understand.”

District 86 also placed information about the proposed referendum and improvements plenty of information on its website, which included a brochure that was mailed to all registered voters in District 86 boundaries. The brochure was printed in both English and Spanish, which Rouse previously said was “very explanatory, and covers the topic well.”

As a result, responses at neighborhood meetings were mostly positive, Ross said.

“Some people were skeptical as to whether there really would be no tax rate increase,” Ross said. “But when we put it into the tax calculator on the district website, that pretty much answered those concerns.”

Because District 86 has debt that’s expiring, the proposed financing wouldn’t increase the current tax rate, Rouse previously had said.

Contos said he only met one person who really pushed back against the proposed referendum and another who was skeptical.

“Most people said, ‘Please, tell me more,’” Contos said.

Ross said the improvements to District 86′s facilities will benefit present and future students and enhance Joliet’s image.

Contos agreed and added that everyone was just really happy today.

“There’s a newness, an energy that comes with this,” Contos said. “You can feel the energy today.”