Area school districts get approval for tens of millions in bond issues

School districts in the Springfield region were successful in securing tens of millions of dollars' worth of bond issue approvals from voters at the polls yesterday.

All six of the districts tracked by Springfield Business Journal prior to the election received voter approval, according to unofficial election results from multiple counties. The school districts comprise Mount Vernon, Republic and Willard, as well as Ash Grove, Dadeville and Laclede County.

Mount Vernon R-V Schools received 68.3% of the vote in support of its $10 million bond issue. That amounts to 760 votes in favor, with 352 in opposition.

With the bond funding, the Mount Vernon district plans to add a performing arts center on the high school campus, according to past reporting.

In Republic, 70.7% of voters gave the school district approval for a $22 million bond issue. There were 993 votes in favor, with 411 against.

The funds are slated to be used toward construction of a multiuse indoor facility, upgrades to portions of the middle school, addition of air conditioning for Price Elementary’s gymnasium, replacement of heating, ventilation and air conditioning in various buildings and improvement of window safety by adding security film to all exterior doors in each building and to school entrance vestibules.

The Willard district received 78.7% of the vote in favor of its bond issue, with 21.3% against. That's 1,595 and 431 votes, respectively.

The $30 million bond issue includes proposed projects for safety and security, such as a multipurpose safe room addition at Willard East Elementary and secure entrances at Orchard Hills Elementary and the high school.

With 67.6% in favor, Willard voters also gave the green light to a proposal that will see the district transfer 22 cents from its debt service to operating. The tax levy, $4.12 per $100 of assessed valuation, is not changing, according to past reporting.

In Ash Grove, 84.1% of voters approved a $7.5 million no-tax-increase bond issue to fund campus facility needs, including the increase of safety and security by installing fencing and additional security entry access doors; repair and replacement for roofs; and improvements to HVAC systems and traffic circulation.

With 75.6% of voters in support, the Dadeville R-II School District has the OK for a $1.8 million bond issue that focuses on classroom expansion and infrastructure improvements without any increase in taxes.

The result was 56.4% in favor of a second Dadeville proposition that requires a 65-cent tax increase to fund construction of an 11,575-square-foot auxiliary gym and activity center. Its passage is set to increase the tax levy of the school district to $4.08 per $100 of assessed valuation.

The Laclede County district got support from 72.1% of voters for its $2.85 million bond issue to address various campus improvements, such as replacing security cameras at Ezard Elementary and exterior windows at the junior high and high school buildings. Gymnasium upgrades at the high school and junior high also would be addressed, along with various maintenance projects in the district.