Voters in the Athena-Weston School District decisively rejected a proposed bond worth $15.2 million during a special election on November 4, 2025. Preliminary results indicate that 56.9% of voters, or 520 out of 913, cast their ballots against the measure. The bond aimed to fund new classrooms, a gymnasium, and various facility improvements within the district.
The failure of this bond not only impacts the district’s infrastructure but also results in the loss of approximately $10.2 million in grant funding from the Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching program. This financial setback means the district will need to seek alternative funding sources to address its pressing facility needs.
If approved, the bond would have cost residents around $1.47 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which represents an increase from what they have been paying since a previous bond was passed in 2016. According to the Umatilla County assessor, the projected median residential assessed value for the 2024-2025 period is $106,590. For the median property owner, this would have translated to an additional cost of approximately $305 per year or $25 per month. Specifically, the increase from the current bond would have been $157 per year or $13 per month.
In a summary submitted by Superintendent Ann Vescio, the proposed bond would have funded a new career and technical education building, alongside a new gymnasium. Additionally, it would have supported projects to enhance accessibility and improve efficiency across classrooms, common areas, and parking facilities at both the Weston and Athena campuses.
The rejection of the bond highlights the community’s apprehensions regarding the financial implications of increased property taxes, even as the school district seeks to improve educational facilities and resources for its students. The future of these projects remains uncertain as the district evaluates its options moving forward.
