November 4, 2009

School bond fails

By Rodger Nichols
The Chronicle

     Sherman County voters turned down a proposal to consolidate all county schools at a single campus in Moro Tuesday by defeating an $11.25 million general obligation bond that would fund the move.
     The vote, as released by Sherman County Clerk Jenine McDermid, was 531 against to 388 in favor. That’s a 57 percent “no” vote.
     Voter turnout was high, McDermid said, with 76 percent of the county’s registered voters casting ballots.
     Two of the county’s five precincts did favor the proposal: Moro, where the construction would have taken place, voted 152 to 108 in favor, as did Kent, by a 31 to 22 margin.
     But voters in Wasco turned out against the proposal by a better than two to one ratio, with 218 opposed and only 100 in favor.
     Rufus voters were also opposed, voting 76 to 46 against, as were voters in Grass Valley who defeated the measure by 107 to 59.
     Proponents had argued that Sherman County taxpayers would not have to pay increased taxes, that the bond would qualify for zero interest payments, and that anticipated funds from the county’s Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) would cover the cost of debt repayment.
     But opponents stressed that current commissioners cannot bind future commissions to continue to devote SIP revenues to cover bond payments, and other opponents said they did not like the concept of a single location for all school activities in the county.
     The closure of North Sherman Elementary in Wasco, and consolidation of all elementary students in Grass Valley resulted in several tense school board meetings, and probably contributed to the strong “no” vote in Wasco.
     Grass Valley residents earlier this year recalled the city’s mayor and a city councilor over concerns that proposed upgrades to the city’s water system would cause rates to increase.
     Sherman School Superintendent Ivan Ritchie released a brief statement Wednesday.
     “I’m of course disappointed with the outcome,” he said. “A lot of county residents worked really hard to pass this, I am of course very disappointed that the bond has been defeated, but I want to thank them for their work. The board will need some time to consider the elementary school configuration in the county. The board’s going to have to have some time to think about what the configuration in the county is before they go forward with any future decisions.”