LPOSD levy leading at polls

SANDPOINT — The $14.1 million plant facilities levy narrowly passed Tuesday by 55.9 percent.

“We’re very nervous right now,” Supt. Dick Cvitanich said.

“It’s a nail biter.”

With eight precincts reporting by 9:30 p.m., the levy had 56.2 percent approval. In Idaho, plant facility levies require 55 percent plus one vote for approval.

Results for Clark Fork and Kootenai Elementary were still out as of press time. The measure failed at Clark Fork, receiving 72 votes for and 138 votes against, while at Kootenai it received 561 yes votes and 381 no votes.

The results are unofficial until the ballots are canvassed at special board meeting scheduled for Thursday.

Typically those areas take longer in reporting results because the absentee ballots are counted at Kootenai and Clark Fork is outside cell phone range, so it takes a bit to get those results in, Cvitanich said.

“We just hope it gets us over the 55 percent mark,” he said.

So far, results for this levy are much better than one that took place a year and a half ago when only 42 percent of people voted in favor of the measure.

In the trustee election, Zone 2 incumbent Vickie Pfeifer was ahead of challenger Anna Largen. At press time, Vickie Pfeifer had 390 votes; — 199 from Sagle and 191 Southside. Anna Largen had 256 total; Sagle, 112 and Southside, 144. A count of absentee ballots was not available.

The $14.1 million plant facilities levy election included $6.8 million to add 11 classrooms, a gymnasium, kitchen, administrative offices and an entry way to Kootenai Elementary, $1.2 million to construct four classrooms at Sagle Elementary, $1 million for building contingency, plus another $2.6 million for health, safety and deferred maintenance and almost $3 million for district wide improvements.

The school board chose to focus on Kootenai Elementary to ease overcrowding at not only that school, but also at Farmin-Stidwell, which is attended by a number of students living in that area.

It is anticipated that student enrollment in Kootenai will increase with the creation of two new housing developments; Seven Sisters adjacent to Highway 200 and one on Providence Road.

The district also plans to add classroom space at Sagle Elementary, which unlike several district schools, has consistently experienced increases in student enrollment.

(See the Daily Bee’s Web site, www.bonnercountydailybee.com for complete election results. The site is updated at 10 a.m.)

Levy results:

Clark Fork Jr./Sr. High n/a

Hope Elementary yes 96 no 95

Kootenai Elementary n/a

Northside Elementary yes 206 no 269

Sagle Elementary yes 436 no 458

Farmin-Stidwell Elementary yes 416 no 242

Southside Elementary yes 148 no 244

Sandpoint High yes 384 no 180

Washington Elementary yes 458 no 186