The Burlington School Board approved a resolution Tuesday asking the City Council to place a $70 million Burlington High School renovation bond on the November 6 general election ballot.

The council is expected to consider the proposal and hear a presentation from school leaders on Monday.

The school board voted 9-1 in support of the resolution. Mike Fisher of Ward 5 voted against it, Martine Gulick of Ward 4 was absent and Clare Wool of Ward 6 abstained as chair of the board.

But in a press release, Wool expressed support for the bond.

“In a city built upon institutions of higher learning, we must continue to lay the educational foundation for our current and future students,” she stated. “Our thriving community depends on the quality of our school system.”
The high school bond might be competing with other big-ticket items for space on the ballot. Another possibility for a November vote: bonding to renovate the shuttered Memorial Auditorium on Main Street.

Before the high school proposal advanced Tuesday, some city councilors suggested that the school board slow down. The council might need more time to consider the tax implications and total city borrowing capacity before green-lighting a high school bond question for November, they said.

Supporters argued that renovations to the high school have been under discussion for years, and that action is past due.

For more information about the renovation and potential tax impact, visit the Burlington School District website.