REINBECK — It was a firm ‘no’ from more than 60 percent of voters in the Gladbrook-Reinbeck school district in regards to a bond referendum that would have provided up to $23.6 million in additional revenue to address facility upgrades and space needs.

Two questions were on the school special election ballot Tuesday night, and both needed a supermajority – at least 60 percent – to pass.

Close to 98 percent of those who cast ballots on election day in Gladbrook voted ‘no’ to both measures – a resounding statement for a district that has struggled for years to unite its two main communities in the wake of the announcement more than a decade ago the Gladbrook school would be closed.

Question 1

A ‘VOTE NO’ sign pictured in Lincoln on Sept. 13. Similar signs could be found in Gladbrook. ‘VOTE YES’ signs were also observed in Lincoln.

The first ballot question addressed the overall price tag of the planned facility upgrades by asking voters to approve the district taking on general obligation bond debt not to exceed $23,605,000 to be used in conjunction with SAVE (sales tax) revenue bonds already approved by the school board to “build, furnish, and equip additions to and to remodel, repair, improve, furnish, and equip District facilities, including related site improvements.”

In total across all precincts and including absentee ballots, 1,663 votes were cast for the first question with 604 votes in favor (~36 percent) and 1,059 votes against the measure (64 percent).

Unofficial results show even in Reinbeck – where support for the bond referendum trended higher – voters were not necessarily in favor of the price tag with close to 30 percent voting ‘no.’ The measure, however, did reach a supermajority with Reinbeck voters.

Public Measure

TV/Question 1

First Tier Unofficial Results

Gladbrook

YES 15

NO 601

Lincoln

YES 75

NO 174

Reinbeck

YES 472

NO 194

Tama Co. Absentee (includes Black Hawk and Marshall voters)

YES 8

NO 73

Grundy Co. Absentee

YES 34

NO 17

Question 2

The second ballot question addressed property taxes – which would fund the purchase of the bonds in the first question – by asking voters to approve an annual levy exceeding $2.70 per $1000 of the assessed value of the taxable property but not exceeding $4.05 per $1000.

In total across all precincts and including absentee ballots, 1,659 votes were cast for the second question with 579 votes in favor (~35 percent) and 1,080 votes against the measure (~65 percent).

While the measure did pass in Reinbeck, it again failed in Gladbrook and in Lincoln.

Public Measure

TW/Question 2

First Tier Unofficial Results

Gladbrook

YES 12

NO 603

Lincoln

YES 70

NO 180

Reinbeck

YES 489

NO 224

Tama Co. Absentee (includes Black Hawk and Marshall voters)

YES 8

NO 73

Grundy Co. Absentee

YES 32

NO 17

Election Night

With roughly 54 percent voter turnout – above-average for a school election – activity at the polls remained steady all day, according to election officials at all three voting sites, with both Gladbrook and Reinbeck precincts having to request more ballots.

“[The Grundy County Auditor’s Office] printed up 600 [ballots] and we were going through those so fast they brought us more,” Reinbeck precinct chair Mary Lou Moser told the T-R.

Just before 6 p.m., more than 565 people had voted in Reinbeck at the Memorial Building; 213 people had voted by 6:15 p.m. in Lincoln at Amvets Post #10; while in Gladbrook at the Memorial Building, more than 560 people had voted as of 6:40 p.m.

When reached just before 9:00 p.m. on his way home from a volleyball game, G-R Superintendent Erik Smith expressed disappointment in the outcome.

“Obviously it’s disappointing,” Smith began, “I thought we had a chance to at least get the first question passed.”

When asked what he felt contributed to the referendum’s failure to garner 60 percent of the vote, Smith said general confusion regarding what the two different questions were about was a key factor.

During this Thursday’s regular meeting of the G-R Board of Education, Smith said the board will have the opportunity to discuss the outcome and make decisions as to the next steps which could include placing the issue on the ballot again in a year.

Smith said he would like to see the district regroup and readdress the facility study results as the need for accessibility is not going away, particularly in light of a lower elementary student who uses a wheelchair.

“We know we’re going to have to do something to make [the JH/HS building] accessible,” he said.

Smith also said the board will have to decide what to do about the issuance of $8.25 million in school infrastructure revenue bonds (SAVE bonds) adopted by the board during a late August meeting.

“The vote tonight changed everything on SAVE bonds as well,” Smith said before adding that one option would be to rescind the resolution.

Both the Tama and Black Hawk County Boards of Supervisors will canvass election results this coming Monday, Sept. 19; a final canvass is set to be completed by Tama County on Sept. 26.

The Gladbrook-Reinbeck Board of Education was set to hold its regular September meeting on Thursday of this week beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the JH/HS Commons.

Elsewhere in the T-R coverage area, voters in the BCLUW school district overwhelmingly approved a revenue purpose statement authorizing the use of the statewide one percent sales tax and the renewal of the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, or PPEL. The first question regarding sales tax received just over 80 percent approval with 105 votes in favor and 26 against, and the second question on PPEL passed with 87 votes (66.9 percent) in favor and 43 votes (33.1 percent) against it.