Voters in the Wright City R-II School District rejected Proposition K by just 91 votes in Tuesday’s general election. The measure, which called for a 51-cent operating tax levy increase to help …
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R-II District voters reject Prop K
Posted
Voters in the Wright City R-II School District rejected Proposition K by just 91 votes in Tuesday’s general election.The measure, which called for a 51-cent operating tax levy increase to help attract and retain high-quality teachers, failed by a vote of 2,539 yes to 2,630 no, according to unofficial returns.Races Also Tuesday, voters in Warren County re-elected incumbent Coroner Glenn Craig, a Republican, and elected Republican Melissa Dempsey as the new public administrator.Craig received 11,028 votes to defeat opponent Jeff Edwan, who ran as an independent. Edwan received 3,784 votes.Dempsey won her race, receiving 11,240 votes compared to 3,358 votes for Lisa Renee Waltrip, Libertarian candidate. Prop KR-II administrators and board members waited eagerly for the final ballots to be tallied, as Prop K trailed by only 48 votes (2,324 no to 2,276 yes) in Warren County and could have been swung by the late arrival of Lincoln County results. Instead, the margin widened, as Lincoln County voters responded with 306 against and 263 in favor of Prop K.“I’m a little sad about the results, but I’m very proud of our effort,” said Superintendent David Buck, who expressed that the campaign for Prop K was much more thorough after the district failed to pass a similar initiative in April of 2015.“The Support Wright City group had over 50 people involved and did a fantastic job, canvassing every neighborhood,” said Buck.He spent much of the day at the polling sites and says the district felt good about the feedback it had gotten since conducting a survey of 400 voters in the spring. Buck believes the changes that took place on the ballot since that time and the presence of several other tax initiatives may have altered voter’s opinions.“When we chose this date, we thought it might benefit us being the presidential election since a lot of people would go to the polls,” said Buck. “At the time we didn’t realize we’d end up running on a ballot with a lot of tax and constitutional amendments. There was a lot being asked of the voters.”The 5,169 voters was highest-ever turnout for an R-II ballot issue, according to Buck, who says the board will regroup to determine how it moves forward.Board President Austin Jones says the only area he sees that could have used improvement was the campaign for awareness in Lincoln County.“It’s disappointing, but I’m proud of the effort our committee put in,” said Jones. “We knocked on a lot of doors, and it was rewarding to be able to talk to a lot of people. It’s just disappointing we didn’t cross the finish line.”Coroner“I learned a lot during this campaign, but the most enjoyable was the history of Warren County that I learned by talking with several residents. I am so honored and blessed that the residents of Warren County have chosen me to serve them as their coroner,” Craig said.Craig ran for coroner when the previous coroner retired from the position in 2015. He earned a certification in death investigation. He said he is the first certified medicolegal death investigator to serve Warren County.Edwan, a fire marshal and firefighter for the Ferguson Fire Department, said “I would like to say thank you to all of the Warren County residents who voted and supported me during my campaign, along with friends and family. It was an honor to be your candidate and it was a great experience to run for an elected office.“Also congratulations to Glenn Craig on his victory. He is my coroner and all of Warren County’s residents’ coroner. Best of luck to him for the next four years and beyond.”Craig said he intends to continue to improve the quality of the coroner’s office with training and education; continue developing relationship and training with law enforcement and first responders; and continue developing relationships with hospice programs and nursing homes to provide better care for loved ones. “To the residents of Warren County, I promise I will speak for those who are no longer able to speak for themselves,” Craig said. “I will also do my very best to find the answers to the questions of loved ones so they can get as much closure as possible.”Public Administrator“I truly appreciate the support of the Warren County voters and their confidence in my ability to execute the duties and responsibilities of the office of public administrator,” said Dempsey. A lifelong Warren County resident, Dempsey retired from the 12th Circuit Juvenile Office after more than 25 years of service.Dempsey said she will bring experience and dedication to the role as well as professionalism and compassion for the families of Warren County.“I will work to make a difference in the lives of those unable to do so for (themselves) and safeguard their best interests,” she said.
Orville Strohbeck was the first person in line to vote at the South Elkhorn/Macedonia precinct at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Warrenton, arriving at 5:15 a.m. on Tuesday. Approximately three dozen voters were waiting to cast their ballots when the doors opened at 6 a.m. Derrick Forsythe photo.
