HEIDELBERG — Voters in the eastern part of Jasper County made a statement to support the East Jasper School District’s effort to build a new elementary school.
Voters went to the polls Tuesday and granted school officials permission to borrow $10 million.
Jasper County Circuit Clerk Billy Rayner said a special election attracted more than 2,000 of the area’s 5,300 registered voters, which decided the school bond issue.
According to unofficial results, 1,487 — being 68 percent of the votes cast — voted in favor of the bond issue and 692 voted against the bond issue.
Dr. Gwendolyn Page, superintendent of the East Jasper School District, said.
“I am overwhelmed with the support the community showed,” the superintendent said. “I believed in my heart that it was going to work. I knew that our children needed it. The children knew they needed it and the parents knew they needed it.”
Page said the school district of approximate 1,200 students needed the referendum for the bond issue to pass.
“Everything just went great,” Page said following the victory. “The community showed that our children are worth the investment.
“Our pastors and the many churches in the East Jasper Community really worked great. We got support from throughout the community. We received support from the WE CAN of Jasper County group, the Jasper County Coalition, the NAACP, the Brotherhood Organization, the Athletic and Band Booster Club, the Parent-Teacher Association, the Jasper County TIOCH Organization, the Retired Teachers Association of Jasper County, several local businesspersons and parents, the Girls Scouts and the Jasper County United Male Chorus,” the superintendent said. “Our mayor, (Heidelberg mayor) Juan Barnett, former East Jasper superintendent Samantha Jones and former elementary principal Charles Anderson were very instrumental in helping us. They were out in the front and spokespersons for this.”
Page said it was the community support and involvement that made the difference.
“They — the community and all those who got out and worked — helped to pass the bond issue,” the superintendent said. “The school is an extension of the community and the community stepped up. People took off work Tuesday. They got vans and they picked up people and took them to vote. ... Whatever was needed they did it and we are so grateful.”
The passing of the bond issue allows the East Jasper School District to issue bonds in the maximum principal amount of $10 million to raise money for the purpose of paying the cost, including the cost of borrowing, of purchasing, erecting, repairing, equipping, remodeling and enlarging school buildings and related facilities, purchasing land therefor, establishing and equipping school athletic fields and necessary facilities connected therewith, and providing necessary water, light, heating, air conditioning and sewerage facilities for such school buildings and related facilities, including, but not limited to the following general described project: constructing a new elementary school and making renovations and additions to the junior high and high school?”
Rayner said turnout for the election was “good.” Aside from the 2,184 votes cast at the polls, the circuit clerk said affidavit ballots were counted Wednesday.
“I was real pleased with the turnout,” Rayner said. “Based on the results, we had about 41 percent of the eligible voters to turn out.”
Rayner said this is the fifth election conducted in Jasper County this year.
Local News
School bond passes
Community supports East Jasper School District borrowing $10M
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