BCSD explains election information

BONNERS FERRY — The Boundary County School District explains the 2023 election calendar that was recently published.

The election calendar notices for BCSD had to be submitted to Boundary County by Dec. 30, 2022, BCSD officials wrote in a press release. The published public notice shows BCSD having ballot questions on all four election dates as follows:

March 14, Maintenance and Operation levy; May 15, alternate M & O Levy; Aug. 29, alternate M & O Levy and Possible Plant Facility Bond/Levy; Nov. 7, Trustee Election, Alternate M & O Levy, and Possible Plant Facility Bond/Levy.

At this time, BCSD’s Board of Trustees voted to run a Supplemental (M & O) Levy on March 14, 2023. At this time BCSD officials know this levy question will be on the ballot. The second known ballot question at this time is the Nov. 7, 2023, Trustees Election.

All other ballot questions for the district are unknown, officials wrote. There are two reasons the other election questions are noted on the 2023 Boundary County Election Calendar: 1) the school board has the ability to place the question(s) on the ballot based on events and recommendations that may unfold throughout the year and 2) transparency with the public.

Last year, BCSD did not declare they were running a bond in August based on the 2022 Boundary County Election Calendar. Instead, they published a legal notice.

BCSD officials said some community members voiced their concern, so BCSD made the decision to state all potential election questions on the 2023 Boundary County Election Calendar.

“In an effort to be transparent, we noted all possibilities knowing we may or may not have a question on the ballot,” Superintendent Jan Bayer wrote.

BCSD’s Facilities Committee will reconvene in early January. The committee’s recommendation to the School Board on how to ensure facilities are safe, maintained and functional will be considered before a decision is made to run a Plant Facilities Bond/Levy. The board’s decision to run a bond or levy will be made in a posted, open board meeting.

If there are any additional questions in regard to the 2023 Boundary County Election Calendar that are specific to Boundary County School District No. 101, please contact Jan Bayer, superintendent, at 208-267-3146 or email her at jan.bayer@mail.bcsd101.com.