Hayfield School District voters on Monday OK’d a building referendum totaling $14.3 million that will provide some major upgrades as part of an overall $24 million building project.

The ballot came in the form of two questions. Voters approved the first question, 794 to 477, according to unofficial election results from Dodge County. The question, which had to pass for the second question to pass, asked voters to spend $10 million to fix infrastructure and modify classrooms. It passed with a 62 percent approval, said Superintendent Gregg Slaathaug.

The second question, which passed with 57 percent approval, will allow the district to spend $4.3 million to renovate and expand the cafeteria, install security measures at entrances, and install other common area upgrades. It also will help create a school-age child care room. The question passed unofficially at 728 to 538.

The $14.3 million in bonds will be added to another $9.7 million in a low-interest Qualified Zone Academy Bonds grant. Hayfield was only one of two districts in the state that was able to land the grant administered through the Minnesota Department of Education.

Slaathaug said the district will now embark on the next phase with its contractor Unesco, and start the process of selling bonds. Construction could begin in early 2018.

Slaathaug said he wasn’t the least surprised that the measures passed, given the preparation “by a lot of good people,” and the more than 40 meetings held.

“We had wonderful volunteers, who really got the information out… and I’ve always said, if people feel informed, they feel included. I had total confidence in the people of Independent School District 203.”