What’s next for MHS after referendum doesn’t pass

  On April 4, 2023, residents of District 120 had the opportunity to vote on a referendum to grant the district $175 million to renovate MHS and improve the school’s facilities. 

  According to the Lake County election website, out of 5,629 votes on the referendum, 53.86% said no.

  In light of the community’s decision, Mundelein has to move forward to keep up their facilities without this financial support. According to the MHS website, “Plans to renovate and expand the MHS campus will be set aside and we will proceed with some of the most urgent investments with current funds. Meanwhile, the Board of Education will revisit the overall long-term development plan it adopted last November.”

  Although the community voted against providing the school with more funding, the school still faces the problems outlined in the renovation plan. 

  Director of Maintenance and Facilities, Kevin Quinn said, “the things that were identified in that original plan, those weren’t wants. Those were needs.”

  One option for the Board of Education is to bring the referendum back to Mundelein residents for another vote.

  Quinn said, “These needs still exist. We have to be better at informing and communicating that [to the community]”.

  In the meantime, however, the challenges the MHS facilities face are not expected to go away, but rather get worse as time passes. 

  “Things year by year continue to deteriorate from that 1958 [construction],” said Quinn. “So they can deteriorate to a point where the hands are forced. So we’re spending money on making temporary repairs as opposed to wholehearted new construction or renovation.”

  As the effects of time take their toll, the Board will have to decide how best to continue to maintain the building and facilities.

  “We have to really start focusing in on prioritizing those needs,” said Quinn. “And the Board has to make a determination [on] what that future looks like because we know that we can’t continue ignoring things or letting things go.”

  Whether it be through more community outreach and another referendum, or necessary work to maintain MHS at its current capacity Quinn and the Board of Education will continue to help the school function efficiently and effectively.

  As the school moves into the next steps after this referendum Quinn said it’s important that “we all take great pride in this, this school because it’s a reflection of us.”