SEQUIM — The $49.3 million Sequim School District construction bond has been defeated.
According to the final count released at 10 a.m. today by the Clallam County Auditor’s Office as the Nov. 3 election was certified, approval fell 0.45 percentage points short of a 60 percent supermajority — the minimum threshold required for passage.
Accounting for eligible voters within the Sequim School District in both Clallam and Jefferson Counties, the bond had 7,193 yes votes, or 59.55 percent, to 4,885 no votes, or 40.45 percent.
A total of 12,078 valid ballots cast were counted.
Had it been approved, the bond would have been used to renovate and expand Greywolf Elementary, build a new school, renovate Helen Haller to house Olympic Peninsula Academy — for alternative education — renovate and expand Sequim High School, demolish a Sequim Community School building and upgrade the district kitchen and maintenance facility.
The bond also would have funded a new science wing of six laboratory classrooms at Sequim High and added band, orchestra and choir rooms to the performing arts wing.
Music students currently must cross the street to attend classes in the former Sequim Community School.
Two previous attempts to pass a construction bond failed also.
Voters defeated a $154 million measure by a 56 percent-44 percent margin in April 2014.
A $49.2 million bond last February received 6,691 yes votes to 5,026 no votes — 57.11 percent to 42.89 percent — but fell short of the required 60 percent supermajority.
________
Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
