PROVIDENCE – Voters in five cities and towns across Rhode Island overwhelmingly approved Tuesday new school bond measures to allocate funds for school repairs, with one city planning to use the bulk of its bond to construct a new high school.
Cranston’s proposed $147 million bond – the largest bond of the five municipalities – was approved 22,610 votes to 5,965 against, more than a 4-to-1 margin and with several votes in the city still outstanding. The money, according to the ballot question, will be used for various repair projects at multiple schools and facilities, including Garden City Elementary School, Eden Park Elementary School, Gladstone Elementary School, Park View Middle School and Cranston High School West.
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In Providence, 39,950 voters, or roughly 89% of voters, gave the OK to allocate $140 million in funds to make school repairs. According to the city, the bond referendum is part of Providence’s 10-year commitment to invest up to $400 million in upgrading school infrastructure. The city’s interactive map shows 21 schools targeted for repairs in Providence’s $300 million school capital plan. The bond passed Tuesday follows a similar $160 million school bond approved by voters two years ago.
Newport voters also gave a resounding approval Tuesday, 78% to 22%, to a $106.3 million school bond. Most of the bond – $98.8 million – will be used toward constructing a new Rogers High School, where the current facility, built in 1957, is deemed among the most deficient schools in the state. The remaining $7.4 million will be allocated to constructing an addition to Pell Elementary School.
By a nearly 3-to-1 margin, Warwick voters approved a $56 million school bond to make repairs to 17 elementary and middle schools in the city. The amount of money slated to be spent on repairs ranges from $1.3 million at Lippitt Elementary School to $12.5 million at Winman Middle School. Mayor Joseph J. Solomon Jr. told Providence Business News in February that the repairs will be for schools’ HVAC and mechanical systems, new roofs, site work, electrical work, asbestos abatement and plumbing, and other repairs.
Seventy-three percent of Burrillville voters approved a $7 million bond where repairs will be made to all five schools in town – Austin T. Levy School, Burrillville High School, Burrillville Middle School, Steere Farm Elementary School and William L. Callahan School. Burrillville School Facilities Manager Bill Robinson told PBN Wednesday that roof replacements, new fire alarm systems, new lighting, boiler upgrades and media-center renovations are among the repairs to be completed with the approved bond money.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
