KBIA Local
(2009-11-05)
COLUMBIA, MO
(KBIA) -
After Tuesday's elections, mid-Missouri voters have passed bond issues in seven mid-Missouri school districts. Combined, seven school districts could potentially borrow more than 18-million-dollars in federal stimulus money available for public schools. Districts that passed bond issues include Mexico, Slater, Sturgeon R-5, Harrisburg R-8, North Callaway R-1, Brunswick R-2 and Cole County R-1. Among these, individual districts are asking for funds ranging from 700-thousand to eight-million-dollars. In North Callaway County, a two-point-five million dollar bond issue passed this year after failing in the past three elections. Superintendent Bryan Thomsen says the school board used a new approach to achieve success at the polls."They cut it down to a bare bones approach as far as this is something that would be nice but it's not necessarily a necessity. And move forward to get a good plan. So that's why I think it did pass."
In Harrisburg, Superintendent Lynn Proctor says the district is thankful for the people who showed support at the polls."We truly are thankful to the patrons of our district for showing such tremendous support to the district. We really do try to be good stewards of our taxpayers' money and I feel like we are doing good things to improve the learning environment for our students."
Cole County R-1 passed a two-million dollar bond for the Russellville School District. The money for the bond is part of 141 million dollars in federal stimulus money given for school improvements in Missouri. Superintendent Jerry Hobbs says the money will have far-reaching results."This will be very beneficial to our students; for not only the ones going today, but also those students attending this school in the future."
But, not every district participating in the election had passing results. A one-point-five million-dollar bond issue failed in Camden County as well as a more than eight-million-dollar bond in Morgan County R-2. In Saline County, Marshall Public Schools had a more than 20-million dollar bond issue on the ballot. Although the bond received more yes than no votes, it did not receive the four-sevenths majority needed to pass. © Copyright 2012, KBIA