Kenton learns at 1:30 a.m. levy fails; USV passes

KENTON — For Tony Osbun, there was only one thing worse than waiting until early Wednesday morning for election results, the results themselves.After severe winter weather, delays in counting the votes and one miscount, Osbun and officials from Kenton City Schools learned around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday the district’s bond issue failed.“Unfortunately, the community missed out on a great opportunity,” said Osbun, chairman of Kenton’s levy campaign. “I would assume the board will go ahead and try to pass it again in August. … We’ll probably look for the same amount of money but eliminate locally-funded initiatives.” Voters turned down Kenton schools’ 9.64-mill bond issue, 2,054 to 1,683, in Tuesday’s election, marking the fifth straight time voters rejected the district’s attempts to pass levies.The levy would have generated $25 million for the construction of two new facilities to house all the district’s students — one for pupils in kindergarten through fifth grades and the other for students in grades six through 12 — on land the district owns north of Kenton. With the local share, the state would fund $37 million of the $60.8 million project.Sixty percent of voters rejected the same levy in November, which came following three failed operating levy attempts. The 28-year bond issue included a mandatory 0.5 mills for permanent improvement money. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $295 per year.After seeing five levies for new money fail in recent elections, officials from Upper Scioto Valley were happy to learn their levy passed Tuesday, 671-556.“This is very exciting,” said Superintendent Nancy Wood Allison. “I would say this is a great victory for every child in the USV district. This was money we needed just to maintain what we currently have. I am glad this many of the voters realized that and passed the tax.”Wood Allison attributed the success to the vision, work and effort of the levy committee.This time, USV officials didn’t seek new money but instead sought a five-year, 4.4 mill property tax emergency renewal that will raise $154,000 per year. That has been around since 1989.School officials said the money is essential, and it is needed to maintain current programs.In the last three years, the district has cut approximately $800,000 from its budget, school officials reported, putting it at state funding minimums. The renewal will cost the owner of a $100,000 about $154per year.Elsewhere in Hardin County, Ridgemont schools’ 28-year, 7.54 mill bond issue for a new elementary school and for renovations to the existing junior high and high school facility was rejected by voters, 593-549.The district would have funded 36 percent of the $14.9 million project. It would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home $230 per year.Additionally, voters passed a 0.75 mill renewal levy for the operation of 911 systems, 5,160-3,372.In a three-way race for a county commissioner seat commencing Jan. 2, 2009, Ronald D. Wyss won the Republican nomination with 1,619 votes against Tom Wilcox (1,502 votes) and incumbent Gerald Potter (1,184).Wyss will face Democrat Theresa Allen in the general election.In the race for county prosecutor, incumbent Bradford W. Bailey won the Republican nomination against former prosecutor Terry L. Hord, 2,444-1,907.In the race for county treasurer, Denise Althauser defeated Julianne Dearling, 2,823 to 1,361, for the Republican nomination. She will face Democratic incumbent Ruth Ann Cook in the general election.You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.