Voters OK Millage Rise

NEW BOARD MEMBER TO TAKE SEAT

PRAIRIE GROVE — Only 15 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the Sept. 17 school election and 60 percent of those voters approved a 6-mill property tax increase for the Prairie Grove School District.

Allen Williams, superintendent, said he was surprised by the low turnout. He said he had predicted 1,200-1,400 people would vote, based on the millage election 10 years ago.

Yet, he was happy with the results.

“I’m certainly very pleased,” Williams said the day after the election. “I’m really appreciative and thankful for the support. I think it speaks well of our school board and the plans they came forward with.”

The school district asked voters to approve a 6-mill tax increase to build a new primary school campus, a storm shelter that would be used for school space and also would be available to the community after hours and a new high school basketball gym.

In all, 838 people voted in the millage election: 522 votes or 62 percent for the millage and 316 votes or 38 percent against the millage increase. The Washington County Election Commission certified the results Friday. Prairie Grove’s millage rate will increase from 36.9 mills to 42.9 mills.

Williams said he considered a 60-percent vote in support of the millage increase an “impressive amount.” He added, “It was a good feeling last night.”

Shawn Shrum, board president, said he was optimistic going into the election because he had heard more positive comments instead of negative comments.

“I’m happy it went the way it did,” Shrum said. “You hope you get the word out and everyone votes and you get the support and we did.”

Voters also selected board candidate Bart Orr to fill Position 4 on the Prairie Grove School Board. Orr will replace board member Lanny Rice, who did not run for re-election. Orr received 482 votes and Casie Ruland, also vying for the seat, received 328 votes.

Williams said either candidate would have been an asset on the school board.

“Both of these were looking at the big picture,” Williams said. “And I don’t think we could have lost with either one.”

Orr is a 1995 graduate of Prairie Grove High School, is a cattle farmer and works for Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission.

Williams said the next step in moving forward with the district’s new construction projects will be to consult with the school’s financial advisers to sell bonds to secure money for the projects, to work with the architects on final drawings and to establish a timeline for the bidding process.

He hopes construction will begin in March 2014, and the projects will be finished by the first day of school, August 2015.

Orr