Liberty school levy fails again

In the wheat fields south of Spokane, Liberty High School wrestlers will continue their practices in the cafeteria.

For the fourth straight time, a bond issue proposition from the Liberty School District has failed to find voter support.

The $6.24 million bond would have paid to build another gymnasium, a football field and a playground cover.

“Sure I’m disappointed, but the community is still very supportive of the levies, which really help us,” said Superintendent Duane Reidenbach.

The measure needed 60 percent support Tuesday, and received 49 percent. Of 1,407 votes cast, 689 supported the bond issue.

“It wasn’t very close,” Reidenbach said. “We were quite close the first three times.”

The school board decided to try the bond issue again when they saw what they thought were positive signs of a recovering economy, Reidenbach said.

The spread-out Liberty School District has the second-largest territory in Spokane County, even bigger than Spokane Public Schools. Cheney is the largest.

Liberty covers small towns like Spangle, Waverly, Latah, Fairfield and Plaza. The district has two schools with about 520 students and 35 teachers.

The district formed in 1960 when all the towns consolidated.

“We’re right in the middle of wheat fields,” Reidenbach said. “There’s no one around us.”

While Spokane County development has boosted household numbers in the north and east county areas, there’s been slight growth in the south. The district has been coping with steadily shrinking numbers. Five years ago, it had about 600 students.

Out in the wheat fields, a gym is a congested place, especially during cold weather.

The district’s two gymnasiums are filled from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“We do our wrestling practice in the cafeteria,” Reidenbach said. “Yesterday, it was raining. We had to have recess in the hallways.”

The school uses a weight room made of remodeled storage areas.

The last time the levy was presented to the community was in May 2003, but construction costs went up about $1 million since then.

“We’re going to try and get some feedback from the community as to what they want and what the problem is with the project,” Reidenbach said. “We need to talk it over.”