April 05, 2008 05:58 pm
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By Derek Spellman
dspellman@joplinglobe.com
NEOSHO, Mo. — Members of the Seneca Area Fire Protection District will again try to pass a bond issue to build additional fire stations and replace aging vehicles, while other voters across Newton County will face a variety of other issues and crowded school board races in the Tuesday elections.
Seneca Fire Protection District voters are being asked to approve a proposal that would issue $1.7 million in general-obligation bonds that would finance both construction of two more stations — one north of Seneca, one south — and the acquisition of three pumper tankers and three brush trucks. The measure needs a four-sevenths majority to pass on Tuesday.
Fire officials last year asked voters to approve a similar proposal that called for $1.128 million in bonds for similar purposes. That plan failed by a margin of 366 votes in favor and 410 against.
Under this year’s plan, voters will have to approve a 40-cent increase in the district’s levy, which is currently just over 28.14 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, for 20-year debt service on the bonds.
The district currently does not have a debt-service levy strictly speaking, Steele said, although part of its current levy goes toward paying off vehicles and one of its station buildings.
The current levy generates a total of between $75,000 and $85,000 a year, he said. About half of that money goes toward paying off a lease-purchase agreement used to acquire a fire engine and toward paying off a loan taken out for a building and one of the fire trucks.
If the proposed bond measure passes Tuesday, it would be a strictly debt-service levy that would end after the bonds are paid off in 20 years, Steele said.The additional 40 cents would increase annual property taxes on a $100,000 house from $54.15 to $128.50.
Across Newton County
Voters within individual communities in Newton County are likely to have at least one reason to vote on Tuesday between ballot issues and candidate races, particularly for school boards.
In Diamond, Gary Armstrong, Anthony C. Baker and Wendy Baker are all running for a spot on the City Council. The post carries a two-year term. The two Bakers share the same address.
On the school board side, 14 people are vying for four seats on the board.
Incumbents Bill Buening and Neil Vanlue are trying to be among the three school board members with three-year terms. They will face off against Donna White, Brian Morgan, Daniel T. Manning, Mickie Mahan, Candace Copley, Doug Bradley, Jeff Huffman and Bonnie Taylor.
In the race for one seat with a one-year unexpired term, current board member Beth Nickolaisen will be seeking that spot against challengers Tracy J. Douglas, Patrick English and Jennifer Crosswhite.
In Fairview, incumbent Mayor Sid Oliver faces Della Cline.
In Granby, both City Council elections and a ballot measure will come before voters.
Ronald L. Arnall, George Kelly and Jerry L. Rich II are running for the North Ward representative. The spot carries a two-year term.
Doug Farmer and Paul Ferguson are competing for one seat with a one-year unexpired term in the South Ward.
Voters also will be asked to approve a four-year extension of the city’s property levy of eight cents per $100 of assessed valuation for general municipal purposes and maintenance of the city cemetery.
On Loma Linda’s ballot will be a request to increase the community’s property tax by 30 cents between 2008 and 2011.
The tax proceeds would be for general revenue and boost the total tax rate in the town to $1 per $100 of assessed valuation.
For the owner of a $100,000 house, that would raise annual taxes from $129.37 to $186.37.
Seneca School District voters will elect three to three-year terms on the school board. Joe Caputo, Gary Little, Sharon L. McKinney, Teryl Malone and Ronald D. Nichols are in the running for that spot.
Seneca Special Road District voters will select from among Derrick Brown and Floyd Sreaves for one, three-year term on the board of directors.
Silver Creek resident will have to select two new trustees and two ballot questions on Tuesday.
David Cox, Pat Worley, Jerry A. Young and Carol Smith are all bidding for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Each seat has a two-year term.
Also on the ballot is a proposal that, if approved, would issue $3 million in revenue bonds for construction of a sewer system and authorize the village to assess user rates, fees and other charges for debt service on those bonds.
Worley, a current trustee, said the average monthly charge for a village household would be between $52 and $55 if the measure passes. About $16 of that figure represents the monthly processing fee that the city of Joplin assess.
Although village residents would be required to hook up to and pay for sewer service if the measure passes, homeowners would be spared from the costs of hookup and of disposing of their septic tanks because of a grant that the village received, Worley said.The Silver Creek issue would need a simple majority to pass, according to the Newton County clerk’s office. Silver Creek had a population of 618 as of the 2000 Census.
The second ballot question would impose a half-cent sales tax for general capital improvements and generate about $12,000 a year. The tax would not sunset, if approved, and requires a simple majority for passage.
In the Westview School District three, three-year seats are up for election.
Incumbents Matthew Boyer, Jenny Drake and Ryan Lankford are all seeking re-election against challenger Mike Larson.
At Wheaton, incumbent Larry Prewitt is running along with Landon Brattin, Lewis Royer and Bob Brown for three, three-year seats on the Board of Education.
Unopposed candidates
The following candidates are unopposed and virtually assured of election.
Cliff Village — Board of trustees: Kerstin Landwer, Ellon Darr, William D. Grooms.
Dennis Acres — Trustees: Leon R. Comer, Jimmie L. Parrill and Helen L. Plimmer.
Diamond — City Council: West Ward, David W. Towers.
Fairview — City Council: North Ward, Louise J. Ray; North Ward, Florence Belt; and South Ward, Carl Lee Kruse.
Granby —City Council: South Ward, Bill Cooper.
Grand Falls Plaza — City Council: Brenda Myers, Fred G. Pugh, Arthur Hines.
Leawood — Trustees: Paul Boyd and Frances A. Owen.
Loma Linda — Trustees: Denny Holdgrafer, Thomas Parr and Arthur Dahms.
Newtonia — Trustees: Jeannette L. Kleindl, George Philliber and Dave Wormington.
Redings Mill — Trustees: Jim L. Brown.
Ritchey — Trustees: Alan Melot and Lewis Marion.
Saginaw — Trustees: Jed L. Schlegel and Don Snyder.
Seneca — Mayor: Gary Roark; municipal judge: Charles Nesvold; City Council: 1st Ward, John M. Adams; 2nd Ward, Bill Irvin; and Ward 3, Eric Quee.
Shoal Creek Drive — Trustees: Judy F. Whitehead and Sally Armstrong.
Shoal Creek Estates — Trustees: Terry Peacock and Michael J. Oberzan.
Stark City — Mayor: Ed Schultz; trustees: Gene Stickler, Donald Bradley and Nona J. Welch.
Stella — Trustees: James R. Fellows, Sam LeBlanc.
Wentworth — Trustees: Clyde R. Stephens.
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