After 1,254 voters made their way to the polls Tuesday, the special bond election for the Pearl River County School District did not pass, with only 44.8 percent of the voters for the multi-million dollar bond and 55.1 percent against.
The $17 million bond the district proposed covered a range of upgrades and additions for all of the schools in the district, including the construction of a performing arts center at the Carriere campus, new and improved classroom facilities at both the McNeill and Carriere campuses to alleviate the need for mobile units, which currently house many classrooms and district offices, constructing restrooms and repairing the concession stand at the football stadium and renovating outdated classrooms across the district.
“The results are disappointing, but we will move forward for the students; it’s what we do every day,” Superintendent Alan Lumpkin said. “Our students deserve to get our best every day and they will get that tomorrow.”
The main catalyst for requesting the bond was to adjust to the rapid growth in district enrollment. Just this past year, the PRC District saw an increase of 200 students, previous coverage states.
“Nothing is going to change,” Lumpkin said. “I appreciate all of the people exercising their rights to vote, all 100 percent of them. We appreciate the confidence our community has in us and now we’re going to get back to work and continue to provide the best services we possibly can for these students.”