School board, SCC levy vote set Tuesday

By Steve Dunn

dgceditor@dailygate.com

Voters in the Keokuk and Fort Madison school districts will go to the polls Tuesday to decide school board races, while voters in the Central Lee district will choose four candidates who have no opposition.

In addition, voters in the Southeastern Community College District will be asked whether the current physical plant debt service levy that was established in 1990 should be extended for up to 20 years.

Incumbents Tyler McGhghy and Alka Khanolkar are being opposed by Jane Abell and Carrie Steele for three seats on the Keokuk School Board. Another incumbent, Roger Kokemuller, decided not seek re-election to a four-year term.

In the Fort Madison district, incumbents Timm Lamb and Tim Wondra plus newcomers Debbie Meyer, Kimberly Ransdell, Jaime Seaney, Heather Wellman and Gayla Young are vying for three seats on that school board.

In the Central Lee district, incumbents Mark Hulsebus in District 3, Kim Miller in District 4 and Verna Brunstein in District 5 have no opposition. Neither does Bill Young in District 2.

The physical plant debt service levy generates about $700,000 a year for building and property maintenance, renovation, new construction, infrastructure, land and equipment in the SCC district, which covers all of Lee, Des Moines and Henry counties and parts of Louisa, Van Buren, Washington and Jefferson counties.

SCC intends to keep the tax rate at approximately 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation if the referendum passes. SCC would sell no more than $15 million of bonds for projects throughout the district and then pay off the debt with revenue from the levy.

In the past, the levy has funded such projects as roof replacements at the West Burlington campus and Fort Madison center, new and replacement buildings at the Keokuk and West Burlington campuses, renovations at the Fort Madison and Mount Pleasant Centers, exterior siding replacement at the West Burlington Campus, sidewalks and parking lots at all locations, and chillers and boilers at all locations.

Originally posted here:
School board, SCC levy vote set Tuesday