By Janet Jacobs
Rice school district voters approved a measure to build a new $10 million middle school Saturday, with a relatively narrow vote of 228 to 166, or nearly 58 percent.
The turnout was heavy for the election, with nearly 400 people casting ballots.
The bond sale depends on the school district also receiving state aid for facilities and existing debt. If it doesn’t get that money, it will have to pay back the money from the bond sale and cancel the construction. The bond sale will raise the school’s tax rate 24 cents, to $1.42 for each $100 in property value.
Rice school voters also reelected the three incumbents on the school board ballot, although there was a heavy slate of challengers. Lee Montgomery, Kevin Thedford and Nena Harwell were reelected.
Rice city voters reelected incumbents Donnie Fisher and Jerry Herring, and chose to seat newcomer Mike Cox from a heavy slate of six candidates.
In other county elections, incumbents were largely successful around the county, with one exception: Dawson city voters chose to oust Mayor Paula Sears in favor of Linda “Doll” Bryant, with a vote of 85-65. Luann Cornett, a councilwoman, also lost her seat. The only incumbent to survive the night was Debye Woodall. New to the council will be Kelly Miller and Kaye Leggett Taylor.
Incumbents ruled the night in other cities and communities. In Blooming Grove’s school district, the two incumbents, Dan Patterson and Ricky McGraw won, along with newcomer Micah Haden.
Frost residents were asked to vote on contested races both in the city and the school district. The city voters reelected Mayor Ken Reed. Council members Doyle Staggs and Lynn Short were unopposed for their seats. In the school district, Larry Kern was reelected, and Keith Speer and David Garcia will join the board.
Mustang’s two dueling city elections were both conducted about a 100 yards from one another Saturday. The first election called, which asked voters to decide on all the council positions, was set up in a small trailer near the postal boxes. A long table out front was decorated with red, white and blue decorations, and bottled water was offered to voters. Four voters cast ballots in that election, and all the candidates listed on the ballot won, including Danny Parker as mayor, according to Election Judge Larry Adkins.
At the second election, the current mayor, Jackie Bounds sat with Jerrie Bounds, city secretary, and Gary Arnett, fire chief in the fire station to receive ballots. Two people cast votes in that election, and Danny Parker, who was the only listed alderman candidate, was declared a winner in that race, as well.
In Kerens, incumbents also took the races, both on the school board and on the city council. Randy Bancroft and Libby Layfield will continue on the board of trustees at KISD, while Jeffrey Saunders will return to the city council, joined by newcomers Mooney Holloway and Brett Latta.
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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com
