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The Glenville-Emmons school board voted 4-2 Wednesday to move forward with a timeline that could bring another referendum before the district’s voters in August.

Board members Kris Houg and Jesse Knaack voted against the action, with Houg saying he felt like the vote was rushed.

Unlike the referendum from August 2023, which asked voters to authorize the sale of general obligation building bonds of no more than $37.42 million — which included funds for a new PK-12 school — this time around, the referendum would cover improvements to the existing elementary and secondary buildings.

Superintendent Allen Berg said a post-referendum survey from the community showed support for renovating the existing buildings instead of building a new one and for keeping the cost below $22 million. The board in the coming weeks will determine the scope of the project, and more defined costs will be determined.

Representatives from SitelogIQ, a construction management company that has provided design and engineering services for the project, gave updated estimates to the board during the Wednesday meeting of the various priorities suggested for the project after conducting listening sessions in both Glenville and Emmons, the survey and updated facility assessments after the failed referendum.

Among the feedback, Andy Fields, planning executive manager with SitelogIQ, said staff showed strong support for a safer entrance at the elementary school, adding walls in the elementary school and improvements to the career and technical education area at the high school. Staff also appreciated a focus on safety regarding water and asbestos abatement, and they supported the idea of temperature controls throughout the building.

The current high school was built almost 70 years ago, while the elementary building is over 50 years old.

Fields said they have heard loud and clear that the community wants an opportunity for continuous listening sessions and feedback, and he also suggested bringing in Ehlers, a public finance advisement firm, to discuss the financial impacts of the project.

The SitelogIQ representatives showed a list of projects the board would not need approval from the voters for, which included about $11.9 million in work — $6.78 million in projects at the secondary school and about $5.13 million at the elementary school.

Some of the work at both schools included a complete energy management system replacement, retrofitting lights to LED technology, upgrading the main electrical service and switch gear, abating asbestos, replacing ceilings, installing a new fire alarm system and sprinklers, replacing heating and cooling systems, among others.

There was an additional more than $6 million in projects that would need voter approval, including ADA restroom upgrades, roofing replacement, window replacement, asbestos abatement in the flooring as well as flooring replacement, boiler plant replacement and domestic hot water piping replacement.

Additional costs would be expected for improvements to the CTE space at the high school. Under the timeline approved Wednesday, a review and comment period to narrow the scope will happen through the end of March, and a resolution to call for an election must be approved by May 20.

The last day to provide written notice to the Commissioner of Education about an election is May 30, and then people could start voting by absentee on June 27.

The actual referendum date would be Aug. 12.