Guthrie and Purcell bond proposals pass easily, but those in 4 other districts go down

School bond proposals on opposite sides of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area – in Guthrie and Purcell – passed by wide margins during Tuesday’s election, but voters in the Blanchard, McLoud, Wellston and South Rock Creek districts rejected proposals.

Bond proposals must receive a 60% supermajority to pass. Guthrie’s proposal passed with 2,734 votes, or 72.2%, in favor and 1,051 votes, or 27.8%, in opposition.

Guthrie Public Schools saw nine straight bond proposals fail between 2005 and 2014, but since then the district in Logan County has had three straight proposals succeed. The one passed Tuesday was for $45 million – the largest successful bond proposal in the district’s history – and will include a new elementary school building and expansions to two others.

District Superintendent Mike Simpson said the projects are important because Guthrie’s four elementary schools are at between 87.3% and 100.3% capacity, and more than 900 homes are platted and being built within the district.

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Of the bond money, $32 million will go for the new building, $6.13 million for the classroom additions, $5 million for a maintenance fund, $1.37 million for a wrestling practice facility and $500,000 on technology and safety improvements. Property taxes will rise from 15.82 mills to 20 mills, but Guthrie’s millage levy will remain lower than nearby school districts in Coyle, Edmond, Oklahoma City, Stillwater and Crescent.

“Over the past nine years, we have consistently shown a commitment to keeping our promises to the community with regard to their money,” Simpson said. “Today, our community again showed their trust in us to provide a quality education with the resources we have asked for from our taxpayers. Our teachers and staff continue to place kids first, and we can now take the next step to provide our community with necessary facility improvements.”

New ag facility, new junior high gym coming to Purcell

Purcell Public Schools ’ $19.465 million proposal passed with 78.6% in favor (492 votes) and 21.4% opposed (134 votes). Among the projects to be paid for by the bond are a new agriculture facility, a remodel of the elementary school gym, a new parking lot and a storm shelter within a new junior high school gym.

District Superintendent Sheli McAdoo said the bond proposal will not involve a tax increase.

Wellston bond proposal fails without a supermajority

Wellston Public Schools had a $10.01 million proposal on the ballot, which would have paid for a saferoom addition at the elementary school and improvements to the district’s agriculture facility.

A majority of voters – 452, or 52.4% – voted in favor of the proposal, with 411, or 47.6%, against, but the support didn’t meet the 60% threshold for passage.

Blanchard sees bond proposal fail for second straight year

Blanchard Public Schools , a growing district that serves parts of McClain and Grady counties on the southwest edge of the metro area, had a bond proposal fail for a second straight year. Voters rejected the proposal outright, with 51.9% (1,227) voting against and 48.1% (1,137) voting in favor.

The district’s $66.115 million proposal would have funded a multipurpose saferoom at the high school, eight new high school classrooms, the purchase of land for a future early education center and for additional classrooms, a baseball/softball complex, a new fieldhouse and new band instruments.

Elementary school district in Pottawatomie County sees bond proposal fail

South Rock Creek Public School , an elementary-school district in Pottawatomie County, had its $3.19 million proposal fail, with 178 votes (51.45%) in favor and 168 (48.55%) against, thus not meeting the 60% threshold.

The district wanted to help remodel buildings and make roof repairs.

Bond proposal goes down in McLoud

McLoud Public Schools saw the rejection of a $31.085 million proposal. It would have paid for classroom additions at the high school, upgrades to the field house, security upgrades, new buses and a new track, press box and scoreboard at the district’s athletic field.

McLoud actually had two items on the ballot, as state law mandates transportation proposals be separate from other items. The primary proposal received 52% of the vote (574 votes), with 48% (530) opposed. The transportation proposal received 53.9% (599), with 46.1% (512) opposed. Neither result met the necessary 60% margin for approval.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Guthrie and Purcell bond proposals pass easily, but those in 4 other districts go down