Lake Park, IA (KICD) — The Harris Lake Park school board is wrestling with bond issue options. They want a construction plan that would serve students, put the district in a good position for a future merger, but one the public would support. Superintendent Les Douma says he, for one, got sticker shock when the architect said repairing the current elementary school would run 17 million dollars, and constructing a new elementary wing on the middle and high school would run 18 and a half.

Douma went back to the architect last week and requested a bare-bones plan to make only the most necessary repairs.

School board president Evan Bensley said he’s afraid pouring 10 million dollars into the old building would be like “putting lipstick on a pig.” Board member Ebony Rahe said the board shouldn’t shy away from the best option just because it would be hard.