Renovations on the way for area schools

Voters in all three districts Tuesday night approved multimillion dollar bond issues to fund school renovations, additions and upgrades.

Springfield voters approved a $96.5 million bond issue – the largest in the district’s history – by a margin of 62 percent. It will result in an 18-cent increase in the district’s debt service per $100 of assessed property. Annual taxes on a $150,000 home will increase by $51.30.

Superintendent Norm Ridder said the district was prepared to go either way, depending on voters’ responses, but he said the bond issue approval is exciting because of the opportunities it presents to the district’s students.

“This tells us the community is committed to its kids,” he said. “It’ll be our first step in putting together a major plan for education, and our excitement is in locking down our efforts to move forward.”

Under the bond, 24 of the district’s school buildings will receive work.

Air conditioning will be installed at 18 schools; lunchrooms and classrooms will be renovated at Parkview High School; portions of Cherokee Middle School will be rebuilt; Kickapoo, Glendale and Hillcrest high schools will receive new science labs; and a new elementary school to hold 600 students will be built in the southwest part of the district.

Changes to Springfield schools are expected to be complete in three or four years, Ridder said.

Springfield voters also elected three members to the school district’s Board of Education. Incumbents Kris Callen and Bruce Renner were re-elected, and Andy Hosmer, lawyer and former Missouri assistant attorney general, won the third seat.

At Ozarks Technical Community College, two open seats on the Board of Trustees were filled. Elected to the board were Don E. Clinkenbeard, an original member, and Larry Snyder, owner of construction company Larry Snyder & Co. in Ozark.

In Nixa, voters approved a no-tax-increase $11.4 million bond issue, 2,506–633.

The bond will fund an $8.9 million elementary school on Cheyenne Road, a library and stage at Espy Elementary, a career opportunity center, classrooms and science labs at the high school and $200,000 in general maintenance.

In Ozark, voters approved a no-tax-increase $10 million bond issue 1,713–532.

The bond will fund a new elementary school at Highway CC and Fremont Road for 600 students, new bus purchases and upgrades to computer and telephone networks.

Other election results:

• Both Christian and Texas counties approved the full-time position of a prosecuting attorney by votes of 5,646–1,024 and 1,920–1,314, respectively;

• John Fumon was elected mayor of Billings;

• Stan Hale was re-elected mayor of Clever;

• Brenda Ellsworth was re-elected mayor of Ash Grove;

• Judy Stainback was elected mayor of Battlefield; and

• Jim Collins was re-elected mayor of Republic.