News : School election Feb. 5: New board member, revenue purpose statement on ballot

The first item is a yes/no vote on the language that will guide how we spend the 1-cent local option money and is called an election on our revenue purpose statement. The voters of Benton County originally approved the 1-cent tax in 2004 with language in the original revenue purpose statement that was good for 10 years. The state later made the county-by-county option into a required 1-cent penny that we all now pay no matter where we buy things within the state of Iowa; the funds come back to us on an amount per student basis.
The vote is about the revenue purpose statement and how we will spend the funds; it is not about whether or not the 1-cent tax will continue. If the voters do not approve the language on the ballot, then we would lose the local control over how we spend the funds and the state's language would be used.
Over the last 10 years, we have primarily used the funds to pay our bond payments. The original language also allows the funds to be spent on busses, roof replacement, technology, etc. The language that is on the February ballot is similar. See more information HERE.

Board election to fill vacancy
The second item on the ballot is for the election of the representative to fill the school board seat recently vacated by Todd Wiley.

Mr. Wiley's resignation was accepted in November and the board had 60 days to either appoint a board member or call for a special election. The board appointed Mike Timmermans to the position in December. In the last year, the legislature changed the law so that any appointment is required to also have an election if there is an election for any reason.

Because we are having the vote on the revenue purpose statement, we are required to include an election for the board seat. Anyone who lives in the former Vinton school district and is a voter is eligible for election. Nomination papers and information can be picked up at the courthouse or at the school's central office. Papers are due by Friday, January 11th.