fbpx

Libby Voters Approve First School Levy in 14 Years

Levy will raise $4.1 million to maintain school buildings

By Justin Franz

Libby residents approved a school building reserve levy by just 48 votes on Tuesday.

The levy will raise $4.1 million over the next five years to help fund repairs on the district’s six buildings. This is the first school levy to be passed in Libby in 14 years.

The levy passed with 953 people voting in favor and 905 voting against.

Levy requests previously failed in 2011 and 2013 by wide margins. This time around, school officials made the argument that the levy funds were necessary to keep the district’s buildings from falling apart.

“We’re not trying to build the Taj Mahal, we just want these buildings to last another 20 years,” said Superintendent Craig Barringer earlier this year. “Right now we’ve got potholes that will eat you up.”

Prior to the election, Barringer estimated that the levy would cost $92 annually for the owners of a home valued at $100,000 and $180 annually for owners of homes valued at $200,000. That comes out to being between $7 and $15 every month.

The levy funds will go toward repairing the roofs on all three active schools, as well as sidewalks, floors and parking lots. The elementary school’s heating system will also be upgraded.