SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk school district residents will go to the polls Tuesday to decide if the district can exceed revenue limits for the next three years. It is the district's second attempt to pass a referendum this year.
A meeting to discuss the referendum is planned for 6 p.m. Monday at the middle school in Gratiot.
The referendum asks voters to allow the district to exceed state-mandated property tax revenue limits by $450,000 in the 2010-11 school year; by $550,000 in the 2011-12 school year; and by $550,000 for the 2012-13 school year.
The money from the referendum can be used for the 2010-11 school year if the referendum is passed before the district's annual school board meeting in October.
The referendum will help the district pay for operating expenses, as well as some needed maintenance projects, superintendent Charles McNulty said.
McNulty said the schools in South Wayne and Gratiot need some roof repairs and the district will need to buy a couple of buses in the next few years.
According to information presented by the group "Support Our School," which supports the referendum, enrollment at Black Hawk has declined from 609 students to 430 in the past decade. In the same period, the number of administrators has decreased from five to two; the number of teachers has decreased from 60 to 44; and the number of support staff has decreased from 28.5 to 25.
In April, voters defeated a recurring referendum that would have allowed the district to exceed the spending limit by about $800,000. The referendum failed by a vote of 617 to 350.
A recurring referendum doesn't have an end date.
The referendum vote will be held on the same day as the state-wide primary.
In Lafayette County, the positions of sheriff, clerk of courts and coroner are up for election.
None of the three incumbents in those positions have any opposition in the primary. Scott Pedley is seeking another term as sheriff; Catherine McGowan is running for another term as clerk of courts; and Virginia Douglas is running for another term as coroner.
Democrat James Kilkelly is running for sheriff on the Democratic ticket, and John Bredeson is running for sheriff as an independent.
A meeting to discuss the referendum is planned for 6 p.m. Monday at the middle school in Gratiot.
The referendum asks voters to allow the district to exceed state-mandated property tax revenue limits by $450,000 in the 2010-11 school year; by $550,000 in the 2011-12 school year; and by $550,000 for the 2012-13 school year.
The money from the referendum can be used for the 2010-11 school year if the referendum is passed before the district's annual school board meeting in October.
The referendum will help the district pay for operating expenses, as well as some needed maintenance projects, superintendent Charles McNulty said.
McNulty said the schools in South Wayne and Gratiot need some roof repairs and the district will need to buy a couple of buses in the next few years.
According to information presented by the group "Support Our School," which supports the referendum, enrollment at Black Hawk has declined from 609 students to 430 in the past decade. In the same period, the number of administrators has decreased from five to two; the number of teachers has decreased from 60 to 44; and the number of support staff has decreased from 28.5 to 25.
In April, voters defeated a recurring referendum that would have allowed the district to exceed the spending limit by about $800,000. The referendum failed by a vote of 617 to 350.
A recurring referendum doesn't have an end date.
The referendum vote will be held on the same day as the state-wide primary.
In Lafayette County, the positions of sheriff, clerk of courts and coroner are up for election.
None of the three incumbents in those positions have any opposition in the primary. Scott Pedley is seeking another term as sheriff; Catherine McGowan is running for another term as clerk of courts; and Virginia Douglas is running for another term as coroner.
Democrat James Kilkelly is running for sheriff on the Democratic ticket, and John Bredeson is running for sheriff as an independent.