By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
It’s election day and much is at stake for the St. Joseph School District.
The district has placed a $157 million bond issue on the ballot, one that proposes building a new high school in St. Joseph as the district moves from a three high school model to two.
St. Joseph voters also will choose two candidates for the Board of Education from six on the ballot.
Proposition 2 asks voters to approve a 60 cent increase in the school tax levy. If approved, the current levy would increase from 53 cents to $1.13 per $100 assessed valuation. Approval would also validate long-range planning by the St. Joseph Board of Education. The board says it wants to “right size” the district, not only reducing the number of high schools, but reducing the elementary schools from 13 to 10. Benton and Lafayette High Schools will become middle schools under the plan.
The money raised from the measure would finance construction of a new high school south of U.S. 36 Highway as well as land acquisition. Money will also be put towards improvements and repairs of current facilities.
Six candidates vie for two seats on the St. Joseph school board. Incumbent Kim Miller is joined by former school board member Kenneth Reeder, Brian Kirk, Cassandra Veale, James Mrkvicka, and Jennifer Kerns.
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