By Adam Stewart
Hutchinson Tribune Staff
HUTCHINSON—The $109.5 million bond issue to build a new Hutchinson middle school for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades and fund other elementary, early childhood, student services, and sports facilities projects lost in a landslide Tuesday, 3,683-1,253.
USD 308 projected a 25-year, 5.2-mill property tax would be enough to pay for the bond. That would have amounted to an annual increase of $59.80 in taxes for every $100,000 of appraised value on a home in the district.
Voter turnout in the race was 22.9%.
Election results will not be finalized until the canvass, scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the conference room at the Reno County Courthouse Annex, 125 W. First Ave., Hutchinson.
Hutchinson USD 308
In addition to the bond question, three at-large seats on the USD 308 Board of Education were up for election Tuesday.
The top three vote-getters were incumbents Laura Corey and Cheryl L. Thompson with 2,329 and 1,953 votes, respectively, and candidate Lindsey Hatfield with 1,834, defeating Jeff Roberson, 1747, Gregory Scott Johnson, 1,585, and Shontina R. Tipton, 1,076.
Incumbent Valarie Gibson-Smith did not run for re-election.
Buhler USD 313
Buhler USD 313 had three uncontested Board of Education races on the ballot.
Incumbents Laura Meyer Dick and Monte Cross ran unopposed, receiving 998 and 990 votes for positions 5 and 6, respectively.
In the Position 4 race, Todd Carr received 1,003 votes, running unopposed to replace Greg Lackey on the board.
Voter turnout in USD 313 was 12.22%.
Fairfield USD 310
Fairfield USD 310 had three candidates for three at-large positions on the Board of Education.
Darren Busick, Erica Inslee, and Derek Zongker received 238, 255, and 265 votes, respectively. Busick and Zongker are incumbents.
USD 310 had a turnout of 22.47%.
Haven USD 312
Haven USD 312 had four positions on the Board of Education up for election, with one contested race and one race with no candidate on the ballot.
In the contested Position 4 race, Nicole Sander received 132 votes, defeating Gavin Tate and Corey D. Brock with 105 and 92 votes, respectively.
In the uncontested position 2 and 5 races, incumbents Jessica Jacques and Kenneth Nisly received 308 and 301 votes, respectively, and 93 write-in votes were cast for position 6, which had no candidates on the ballot.
The Haven school district had 11.30% voter turnout.
Nickerson USD 309
Five Nickerson USD 309 Board of Education positions were up for election, with one contested race and one race with no candidates.
In the position 1 race, Jeremy Schmidt defeated Staci Watson, 388-323.
In uncontested races, incumbent Lorna B. Geist, candidate Matt Nisly, and incumbent Brent Engelland received 655, 682 and 705 votes for positions 3, 4 and 5, respectively.
No candidates were on the ballot for position 6, and 91 write-in votes were cast.
Turnout in USD 309 was 15.66%.
Pretty Prairie USD 311
Pretty Prairie USD 311 had three Board of Education positions available in an uncontested election.
Incumbents Chad Basinger and Jay Gehring and candidate Tim Nolan received 113, 104, and 111 votes, respectively.
Voter turnout in the school district was 8.32%.
Renwick USD 267
One of three races for the Renwick USD 267 Board of Education was contested.
In the position 3 race, Andy Helten defeated Candye Daughhetee, 379-94.
Incumbent Thomas Peltzer received 411 votes for Position 1, and candidate Zackary Thimmesch received 435 votes for Position 3.
Results will not be finalized until the canvass. Sedgwick County’s canvass is tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Sedgwick County Election Office, 510 N. Main St., Suite 101, Wichita.
Hutchinson Community College
The Hutchinson Community College Board of Trustees had three positions up for election, with all three incumbents unopposed.
Rodney Calhoun received 1,291 votes for position 2, Jan Young received 3,283 votes for Position 4, and Todd B. Miller received 1,551 votes for Position 6.