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Voters speak at the ballot box |
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Wednesday, 16 April 2008 |
By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor
Even though it meant raising their taxes, Conrad voters spoke loud and clear with their mail-in ballots, saying it was time to make needed improvements and renovations at the high school.
The vote was not even close as it passed by in the high school district 993-359, almost three to one in favor of the bond issue.
There are 2,146 voters in School District 10 and 31 (Conrad and Miami districts) and with 1,352 ballots returned, that comes out to a 63 percent voter turn out.
In the Conrad Elementary School District #10, there are 2,069 voters. The measure passed easily as well, 979-339. With 1,318 total votes cast, that turns out to be a 64 percent voter turnout.
The high school levy was for $4.1 million and the elementary levy was for $2.2 million to share the cost of renovation at the high school.
Election Judge Janice Hoppes said on Tuesday evening, “That’s pretty impressive for a school election.”
The levy is for $6.3 million needed to replace a 57-year-old broken down boiler. A rented boiler behind the school building is heating the high school.
Funding will also be used to put in four new locker rooms, replacing the two old ones currently in basement below the gym. These do not meet current fire codes or ADA guidelines.
The old gym will be renovated to an auditorium and seating for 500 people giving music and drama students an adequate place to perform.
It will allow sets to be left in place for multiple performances and rehearsals, saving a lot of man-hours that are consumed setting up and tearing down these sets for concerts and plays.
In addition, the passing of the levy will allow the construction of a gym to accommodate two PE classes or two extracurricular practices at the same time. It will allow for additional seating which should give Conrad the opportunity to bid and host tournaments, meets and functions that will also be a benefit to the business community.
Superintendent of School Lynn Utterback was “Extremely happy with the results. This was a voter mandate,” he said.
He said the school would move as fast as possible to replace the boiler. A very tentative timeline is to have the project completed by 2009.
Utterback also noted that a lot of folks worked very hard on this project.
With the mill levy value, set by the property values in the area, being less than the state average, the state will pay approximately 20 percent of the bill.
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