Jeff Holmes

In a vote that nearly tore the community apart, voters in the Montello School District approved a two-year, non-recurring referendum at $950,000 each year Tuesday.

The referendum passed with an unofficial count of 959 yes votes to 866 no votes. The operational referendum was needed for basic funding in the district.

"I feel relief for a two-year period of time, and during that time as a district, we will have to work with the state legislators and let them know it is too much to put this kind of pressure on a community and families. The animosity this has created has been unfair to them," said Jeff Holmes, Montello School District administrator.

The district still will follow through with a feasibility study to consolidate with the Westfield School District, Holmes said, and dissolution of the school district is "not off the table" as the board will have to ask itself if they want to put the community through a referendum again.

In negotiations, the school district will look at cost-saving measures, such as health insurance costs and staffing levels.

"We only won by a slim margin, and I can't ignore the ‘no' voters out there," Holmes said. "It will be closely scrutinized over the next two years, and of course it makes me nervous, but that's part of my job as a district administrator."

The school board waited with Holmes at the district office until the results rolled in, he said, and the members feel "ecstatic for the breathing room."

Even though the community has been divided by the referendum - which was a newer version of two previous failed referendums - there is opportunity to work together for change in a "grass-roots movement," according to Holmes.

"One of the best quotes I have ever heard is that dissent is opportunity. That's the way I look at it. We brought so much information to the forefront, and it does supply fodder - for lack of a better word - for going to the state Legislature and using ourselves as an example as to how much animosity this created," Holmes said.

The need to repeatedly go to the community for referendums is a common story for school districts around the state, Holmes said, and the state Legislature should take notice. The "no" voters have a vocal and understandable voice, Holmes said.

"I believe in this community that people are going to heal over this, and that we will be able to explain to the ‘no' voters that, despite the yes vote, they are not going to be forgotten, and we are not going to ignore their input," Holmes said. "If anyone out there on a fixed income voted yes, I greatly appreciated those people. They are making a huge sacrifice, and I can't express my appreciation enough."

The last two days before the vote, Holmes had a lot of waking moments and dreams about the referendum, he said, but it is part of the job.

"Finally, I will sleep well tonight," Holmes said.

jmccoy@capitalnewspapers.com

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