Please direct inquiries to:
Cory Jenness, 712-852-3201
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2025
Emmetsburg CSD Residents to Vote on 2 Ballot Measures November 4
EMMETSBURG, IA — Registered voters who live in the Emmetsburg Community School District will consider approving two measures on Tuesday, November 4. Approval of both would allow the district to build a new elementary school and transition West Elementary to serve as a childcare center.
The first measure is Public Measure RB, a general obligation bond referendum that will provide up to $25.62 million to build a new elementary school and make improvements at the West campus.
The second is Public Measure RC, which seeks authorization for ECSD to raise its debt levy limit to $3.25 per $1,000. The district will not need to levy the full $3.25 allowance for the proposed projects.
The tax impact of an approved bond issue would be $1.59 per $1,000 of taxable property value. For a home assessed at $250,000, this would be an annual tax impact of approximately $181 a year (or $15.08 monthly).
Both measures require supermajority support of at least 60 percent to pass.
“West Elementary has served our community well for many years, but it is outdated and simply unable to meet today’s educational needs and expectations,” said Superintendent Cory Jenness. “Modern education requires flexible spaces, updated technology, and environments that support collaboration and hands-on learning. A new elementary school would allow us to provide the kinds of experiences our students need to thrive now and in the future.”
The new elementary school would be located at an undeveloped 25-acre site near the city’s hospital and Iowa Lakes Community College. Tentative plans include a 65,000 square-foot facility for grades PK-5.
The oldest portions of West Elementary were originally built in 1950 and 1959. The list of facility issues at the campus includes outdated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; dated and damaged floors, fixtures, and furnishings; damaged windows that leak water and air; site drainage issues; and traffic challenges, among others.
If a new elementary school is built, the district’s proposal calls for the demolition of the classroom wings at West Elementary. These changes would allow the facility to transition into a rent-generating childcare center under an agreement with the YMCA.
Childcare is currently provided at West Elementary before and after school by the YMCA. The school would eventually become home to the all-day childcare that is needed in the community. No public dollars will be used to operate the daycare.
“We have heard repeatedly from people in the community about the local daycare shortage,” Jenness said. “The projects that are being considered by our voters would allow us to create a new school and repurpose West to address a challenge that many families face.”
ECSD would continue to use the gymnasium at the West Elementary campus for activities and athletics.
Polls will be open on Tuesday, November 4, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The polling location for district residents is the Palo Alto County Elections Center, located at 1010 Broadway St. in Emmetsburg. A valid ID is required to vote.
Project information, architectural renderings, and answers to frequently asked questions are available at www.emmetsburgbond.org.