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Road tax passes; Palmer
edges write-in
Dearborn
and West Platte also successful in getting voter approval
on tax/bond issues
by Ivan
Foley and Shana Haines
Landmark staff
It was a good day for tax and bond issues on the ballot
at Tuesday's local election.
Platte County's 3/8 cent sales tax for roads, the county's
bond issue that will allow financing for those road projects
to become available soon, Dearborn's half cent general
fund sales tax, and a West Platte School District bond
issue all got a favorable nod from voters.
In a 'contested' candidate race, incumbent Platte City
Aldermen Jim Palmer held off a stiff challenge from write-in
candidate John Kurtz, with Palmer retaining his Ward 3
seat by only three votes.
Kurtz' name was not on the ballot. He decided to run
just days before the election after aldermen voted themselves
a 133% pay raise.
Voter turnout was extremely light, even for an April
election. Turnout was 12%, which Platte County Board of
Elections officials said is 4% less than the turnout last
year at this time.
ROAD TAX
Platte County's road sales tax won with 3,743 in favor
to 2,710 opposed, or 58% to 42%.
The outcome was satisfying to Platte County Second District
Commissioner Steve Wegner, who led the campaign for passage.
"The margin of victory took me by surprise,"
said Wegner, indicating he thought the vote would be closer.
He said the result proves that "if you present a
good plan, the voters of Platte County are reasonable
people who will support a good plan that has accountability
built into it."
He praised the work of a citizen task force that helped
develop the plan.
"We listened to what our constituents were telling
us as we put together this plan," Wegner said.
The tax will run for 10 years. It will generate an estimated
$65 million for road and bridge improvements, with half
of that going to cities and the other half to unincorporated
areas.
PLATTE CITY RACE
After coming late to the party, John Kurtz nearly got
to dance. He fell just short of his write-in bid to unseat
incumbent Platte City Alderman Jim Palmer in Ward 3.
Palmer got 51 votes to 48 write-ins. It is assumed most,
if not all, of those write-ins went to Kurtz. Platte County
Board of Elections officials will officially announce
all the write-in votes when the results are certified
on Friday, reports Wendy Flanigan of the election board.
Kurtz said he went door to door campaigning, deciding
to make the effort after the aldermen recently voted in
a 133% pay raise for members of the board.
Despite the close race, Kurtz was disappointed.
"I'm disappointed people don't care. They get a
notice that they are going to have to pay more taxes and
they get upset. When someone in office votes to give themselves
a raise, they don't seem bothered by it," he said
Wednesday morning.
Palmer said he had only one comment: "I want to
thank the voters who voted for me and supported me."
Lee Roy Van Lew in Ward 1 and George McClintock in Ward
2 were elected without opposition.
DEARBORN
Dearborn Mayor Marvin Landes was happy to see his city's
sales tax question get approval, though it came by a narrow
margin. Dearborn voters passed the tax with 58 in favor
and 55 opposed.
"We got it. We'll be able to keep our shoulders
afloat now," he told The Landmark Tuesday night.
It's estimated the tax will generate an additional $15,000
per year for the city's general fund. It's expected most
of that will go toward the city's connection to Kansas
City water, a project that is nearing completion and will
allow Dearborn to shut down its current water plant.
"We're proud of it. It's not a big step but for
us it's a good one," Landes said.
Also at Dearborn, current alderman Bill Brooks defeated
Debbie Sellars 47-23 in a race for the one year unexpired
term in Ward 2. Brooks was appointed to fill the post
several months ago and now will finish the term.
WEST PLATTE
Bill Taylor and Steve Fulk were elected to the school
board at West Platte with 558 and 536 votes respectively.
Rob Arnold was a third candidate for the two open spots
and finished with 213 votes.
West Platte's $250,000 general obligation bond issue
to build additions and renovate facilities was passed
with 637 in favor to 160 opposed.
OTHER RACES
In other races of note, Steve Folck defeated Steve Kubly
199 to 98 in the race for director of the Camden Point
Fire Protection District.
For Weston alderman, Philip Ost defeated incumbent Mark
Huffman 101 to 87.
For South Platte Fire Protection District director, Michael
Newburger beat Troy Jones 738 to 378.
At Farley, Teresa Bing and Keith Carrel were voted in
as trustees with 48 and 44 votes, beating out Alvin Von
Seggern with 12 and Arlene Madsen with 9.
A complete rundown of county election results:
Platte County
Question 1
Impose a three-eighths percent sales tax for transportation
projects that would last 10 years
(simple majority)
*Yes - 3,743; No - 2,331
Question 2
Issue $45 million in general-obligation bonds for transportation
projects.
(Four-sevenths majority)
* Yes - 4,095; No - 2,331
Camden Point
Ward 1 alderman -*Thomas Redman, 45.
Ward 2 alderman - * Mark Wagoner, 62.
Dearborn
Ward 1 alderman - *Lila Scrivener, 37;
Ward 2 alderman (one year term), Debbie Sellars, 23, *Bill
Brooks, 47.
Ward 2 alderman - *Robert L. Carrol, 59;
Question - Impose one-half percent sales tax (simple majority)
- *Yes, 58; No, 55.
Edgerton
West Ward alderman - *Barbara Snook, 23; East Ward alderman
- * Ronald Hay, 18.
Farley
Trustee (two seats) - Arlene Madsen, 9, Alvin Von Seggern,
12, *Keith Carrel, 44, *Teresa Bing, 48.
Ferrelview
Trustee (two seats) - *(Doc) Dave Kitchel, 8, *Glen Griffin,
18.
Houston Lake
Mayor - *Jean Hallauer, 56; South Ward alderman - *Sharron
E. DeLaFuente, 8; North Ward alderman - Phillip Otte,
20.
Iatan
Trustee (three seats) - (tie) Carol D. Murdock, 8, *Robert
G. Reiss, 13, *David L. Anderson, 13, (tie) Floyd J. Harris
Jr., 8.
Lake Waukomis
Municipal judge - *Steven L. Sanders, 235; Ward 1 alderman,
*Paul Fryrear, 116; Ward 2 alderman - *Dan Garrison, 111;
Question - Impose a three-year tax levy increase of $1.20
per $100 of assessed valuation for general purposes, including
fire suppression and repair of the city's dam. (Two -thirds
majority) - *Yes, 232; No, 20.
Northmoor
Mayor - *Harlan Shaver Jr., 51, Stephen E. Dugas, 26;
Ward 1 alderman, *Isabel Gleason, 8; Ward 2 alderman,
*Kathy Shaver, 19, Kelly Jamison, 9; Ward 3 alderman -
*Jennifer Fries, 22, Joe T. Harris, 20.
Parkville
Ward 1 alderman - *J.C. "Charlie" Poole, 54;
Ward 2 alderman - *Dave Rittman, 35; Ward 3 alderman -
*Marvin J. Ferguson, 79; Ward 4 alderman - *Marc R. Sportsman,
53.
Platte City
Ward 1 alderman - *Lee Roy Van Lew, 63; Ward 2 alderman
- *George McClintock, 98; Ward 3 alderman, *Jim Palmer,
51.
Platte Woods
Ward 1 alderman - *Douglas Morgan, 36, Peny Powell, 26;
Ward 2 alderman, *Kurt Lee Killen, 32, Richard B. Rollins,
21.
Ridgely
Trustee (one-year term) (two seats) -*Gene Bollinger,
17, *Lonnie Williams, 15; Trustee (two-year term) (two
seats) -*Scott Wagle, 17, *Bev McClellan, 15.
Riverside
Ward 1 alderman - *Charles F. Burris, 50; Ward 2 alderman
- *Ray Beard, 30; Ward 3 alderman - *Pamela J. Darata,
54, Gary W. McMichael, 33.
Tracy
Ward 1 alderman - *Rita Rhoads, 6; Ward 2 alderman (two-year
term) *Julie Thomas, 8; Ward 2 alderman (one-year term)
- No candidate filed.
Weatherby Lake
East Ward alderman - *Denise McPherson, 148; West Ward
alderman - *Carol Rittenhouse, 146.
Weston
Mayor - *Howard Hellebuyck, 293; Ward 1 alderman *Cliff
Harvey, 128; Ward 2 alderman - Mark E. Huffman, 87, *Philip
L. Ost, 101.
Camden Point Fire
Protection District
Director - Steven L. Kubly, 98, *Stephen P. Folck, 199;
Southern Platte Fire
Protection District
Director - *Michael "Newie" Newburger, 738,
Troy A. Jones, 378.
Weatherby Lake Fire
Protection District
Director - No candidate filed.
Park Hill School District
Board of education (two seats) - Michael J. Maasen, 1,402,
*Denise Schnell, 1,610, *John A. Thomas, 1,625, Bradford
E. Culver, 1,171.
West Platte School District
Board of education (two seats) - *Bill Taylor, 558, Steve
Fulk, 536, Rob Arnold, 213;
Question - Issue $250,000 in general-obligation bonds
for building additions, renovation, furnishings and equipment.
(Four-sevenths majority) - Yes, 637; No, 160.
Platte County R-3 School District
Board of education (two seats) - *Dick Modin, 642, Karen
Wagoner, 733.
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