LEWISTON, Idaho -- The defeat of a $7.2 million property tax bond in November has prompted Whitepine School District patrons to discuss splitting the district.

Deconsolidation of the district, which includes schools in Troy, Deary and Bovill, may be among options discussed at a school board meeting Dec. 14. It was discussed at a November board meeting.Any plan that would spread the district's responsibility for aging and unsafe schools would have to be approved by the State Board of Education and district voters.

Judy Goodson, a school board member from Deary, said there is a lot of talk about deconsolidation.

"The patrons seem to want it," she said Monday.

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She believes the school district's financial situation has "gotten out of hand" in the past few years.

"It needs to be realized that we're spending somebody else's money. It's public schools, it's public money and ultimately it's their decision on how they want us to spend their money."

While deconsolidation is rare in Idaho, the Bonner County School District will hold an election Dec. 8 to decide if the district should split.

Deconsolidation requires a simple majority approval.

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