PORT ANGELES — All four school levies put before voters in three Clallam County school districts have passed, according to the initial results of tonight’s ballot count.
Each levy needed a simple majority — 50 percent plus one vote — for passage.
The Port Angeles School District’s $52.6 million, five-year capital projects levy received 4,457 yes votes, or 53 percent, and 3,953 no votes, or 47 percent of the 8,420 ballots counted tonight.
The controversial measure will fund expansion and remodeling of Stevens Middle School and begin a 30-year plan to upgrade the district’s other schools.
Voters have approved both Crescent School District levies: a replacement educational programs and operations (EP&O) levy of $520,000 for four years and a four-year capital projects levy that would provide $500,000 for work on school facilities.
The EP&O levy received 479 yes votes, or 64.99 percent, and 258 no votes, or 35.01 percent, while the capital projects levy won 492 yes votes, or 66.67 percent to 246 no votes, or 33.33 percent. The Auditor’s Office mailed 740 ballots to voters in that district.
Cape Flattery School District voters overwhelmingly approved an EP&O levy of about $360,000 for each of the next four years.
The measure received 182 yes votes, or 72.22 percent, to 70 no votes, or 27.78 percent. Total ballots mailed in the district were 252.
The Auditor’s Office counted a total of 9,412 ballots tonight in the all mail election for a voter turnout of 37.7 percent of the 24,927 ballots provided voters. Nearly 1,000 ballots were on hand and more are expected in the mail.
The next count will be by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
In Port Angeles, Proposition 1 will raise the school district’s local levy rate by $2.62 per $1,000 of assessed value and result in a $4.12 total school levy.
A $2.62 levy increase is equal to a $655 property tax increase for the owner of a $250,000 home.
In addition to funding the expansion and remodel of Stevens Middle School and re-establishing a sixth- through eighth-grade middle school system, it will trigger a 30-year plan to upgrade aging facilities at Franklin, Hamilton and Roosevelt elementary schools and Port Angeles High School, all of which are in poor or unsatisfactory condition, district officials said.
Crescent School Superintendent Dave Bingham, left, looks over election results with school board member Susan Hopper and her daughter, Mariah Hopper, 10, on Tuesday night at the Clallam County Courthouse. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
In Joyce, Proposition 1 replaces an expiring levy for educational programs and operations. The levy rate will be $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
Proposition 2 raises additional funds for construction, modernization and remodeling of school facilities. The levy rate will be $0.348 per $1,000 valuation.
David Bingham, Crescent School District superintendent and principal said the measures will allow the district to maintain such programs as music and band and to maintain nurses and counselors for students, as well as fund locker room improvements like private showers and other upgrades like a backup generator for the kitchen/cafeteria and septic system pump.
The Cape Flattery School District’s EP&O levy sets the levy rate at $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation and will generate about $360,000 in each of the next four years.
District Superintendent Michelle Parkin said the funds will be used to provide services that go beyond core areas like social and emotional learning, problem-solving and life skills.
Cape Flattery School District also will be eligible for $575,000 in levy equalization funds, Parkin said.
