ALBANY - It was hard for Albany School Board President Fairy Elmer to put her feelings into words after district residents overwhelmingly approved both referendum questions Tuesday.
"We're thrilled by the community support," Elmer said. "I felt confident with the first question, but question two was up in the air."
By a vote of 539 to 257, voters approved the district's request to borrow $2 million to make improvements to the school's energy system and the roof. The referendum will allow the district to replace the flat roof on the school with a slanted roof. It will also allow the district to replace the school's 45-year-old boilers with a new heating system.
By a vote of 459 to 333, residents approved the district's request to exceed the revenue cap by $1.75 million over the next four years. The second referendum will help the district maintain curriculum and technology to help students compete with other students after they leave high school.
"I was cautiously optimistic," Elmer said.
There weren't any grass-roots groups organized to oppose either referendum question, she said. Supporters of the questions held meetings to inform the public about the need for the referendum questions to pass and how much the two questions would benefit the district.
"I was confident that parents with kids in the schools would support it, but I wasn't sure about people who don't have kids in the schools," Elmer said.
People who came to the meetings and learned about why the school needed to pass the referendums went out and talked to other people in the community, Elmer said, adding, that made the difference.
"We (the school board) could have spent more time talking to people, but I think it was everyone else talking about it that helped the most," she said.
She said the district will soon begin to get quotes to repair the school roof and improve the school's heating system.
In addition, the district will use the money from the increased levy to provide every student with a plan for the future.
"We're small enough that we can help every student plan for the future," she said.
About 95 percent of Albany High School graduates go on to secondary education, Elmer said.
"We're thrilled by the community support," Elmer said. "I felt confident with the first question, but question two was up in the air."
By a vote of 539 to 257, voters approved the district's request to borrow $2 million to make improvements to the school's energy system and the roof. The referendum will allow the district to replace the flat roof on the school with a slanted roof. It will also allow the district to replace the school's 45-year-old boilers with a new heating system.
By a vote of 459 to 333, residents approved the district's request to exceed the revenue cap by $1.75 million over the next four years. The second referendum will help the district maintain curriculum and technology to help students compete with other students after they leave high school.
"I was cautiously optimistic," Elmer said.
There weren't any grass-roots groups organized to oppose either referendum question, she said. Supporters of the questions held meetings to inform the public about the need for the referendum questions to pass and how much the two questions would benefit the district.
"I was confident that parents with kids in the schools would support it, but I wasn't sure about people who don't have kids in the schools," Elmer said.
People who came to the meetings and learned about why the school needed to pass the referendums went out and talked to other people in the community, Elmer said, adding, that made the difference.
"We (the school board) could have spent more time talking to people, but I think it was everyone else talking about it that helped the most," she said.
She said the district will soon begin to get quotes to repair the school roof and improve the school's heating system.
In addition, the district will use the money from the increased levy to provide every student with a plan for the future.
"We're small enough that we can help every student plan for the future," she said.
About 95 percent of Albany High School graduates go on to secondary education, Elmer said.