District asks voters to authorize sale of Hamilton High School property

Nathan Boddy

Hamilton School District residents will see a ballot on Nov. 5 that will ask residents whether they are for or against allowing the district to sell the Hamilton High School property on S. 5th Street. The old building served as a high school until the construction of a new building on the eastern edge of Hamilton and was the subject of a failed bond proposal in 2023 when county voters rejected a measure aimed at building an entirely new school.

“We have to ask the public to give us the right to sell the property,” said school district board Chairman Patrick Hanley. “This is not a lien or levy, there are no tax changes. But we have to ask, and this gives us the opportunity to consider further measures to improve the situation at our high school.”

The situation Hanley is referring to is the condition of a building that has stood for over 100 years and was never intended to accommodate the number of students it currently houses. Despite the robust structure and renovations done over the years, Hanley says a modern, well-sized structure can make things a lot easier for both students and teachers.

Fifty years ago, a temporary solution to the space problem was found by converting the capsule building immediately to the south into classrooms. The pod, which was never intended to be used as classrooms, has thin walls, poor ventilation, poor lighting (many classrooms have no windows at all) and is separated from the main building by a concrete and asphalt playground derisively called a “prison.” playground.’

The school district’s initiative would give the district the right to sell some or all of the property, but would not obligate the district to take any specific action. The district’s website explains the ballot initiative as the “first step” in the facility’s long-term plan. This could include selling just the pod or all of the sites to offset any future costs associated with building a new high school. Those decisions will be taken seriously in the future, Hanley said, but the ability to move forward with any property improvements through the first sale of the property has become a focus for the county since the bond collapse in 2023.

“I think we’re trying to be fiscally responsible to our community,” Hanley said, “by using the proceeds for something like this to try to offset something.”

Ultimately, Hanley argues that passing the initiative would not mean an immediate or even guaranteed sale of any school property, but would mean the district would be given significant choice.

“We’re trying to improve the quality of education for students and teachers,” Hanley said. “To do this we need public support. Overall we are very proud of our schools and want to make sure we have great schools in the future.”

More information about the ballot initiative can be found on the district’s website at https://www.hsd3.org/page/hms-november-ballot-initiative.