After a failed referendum asking Monticello voters if they wanted to build a new high school, officials in the district are preparing for the next round of community engagement.

Prior to the November election, the district extensively engaged the community to find out what they wanted. According to Dr. Vic Zimmerman, they ran numbers for remodeling their current facilities and they also ran numbers to build a new building and let the community tell them what they wanted.

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After the community gave the district the proverbial thumbs up to put the referendum on the ballot then shot it down, officials in Monticello went back to the community to find out why it was voted down. Dr. Zimmerman indicates they came back with a number of concerns.

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Dr. Zimmerman felt as though the district had all their bases covered when it came to passing the referendum and getting community approval. He explains the costs of the building likely aren't to change and he says there's limit areas they can put their high school in the community.

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Now the district must now all but start over. Dr. Zimmerman says they are planning a new round of community engagement to find out what is next. He indicates they gave their architects a range of 50 projects to get some prices on that they would potentially take on.

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Dr. Zimmerman indicates they are hoping to have a more detailed plan to present to the community next March.

While the district's building referendum failed, Piatt County passed a sales tax referendum that would provide additional revenue strictly for their facilities.