Mississippi County election items on Tuesday's ballot

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Voters in Mississippi County will decide a countywide local use tax along with their respective school board, city and ambulance district races when they step up to the polls on Tuesday.

Precincts will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Tuesday’s municipal election.

Countywide

Voters will be asked the following question: “Shall Mississippi County impose a local use tax at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate, provided that if the local sales tax rate is reduced or raised by voter approval, the local use tax rate shall also be reduced or raised by the same action?”

School Districts

Voters in the Charleston R-1 School District will choose two of the three following candidates to serve three-year terms on the school board: Evin James Burke, Cade Stewart Coon and Bobby Kuykendall.

East Prairie R-2 voters will choose three of eight candidates to serve three-year terms on its school board. Candidates are Carlin Bennett, Chad Allen Grissom, Bryan Mainord, Bridget Allen, Cyndi Norton, Michael Wolford, Charles Wayne Thurman and Dwight C. White.

For some Mississippi County voters who reside in the Scott County R-4 “Kelly” School District, they will decide the fate of Proposition Kelly Schools 2022, which asks the following: “Shall the Board of Education of the Scott County R-IV School District, Missouri, without an estimated increase in the current debt service property tax levy, borrow money in the amount of $6.5 million for the purpose of providing funds to install a secure vestibule and complete renovations at the Middle School; to construct, equip and furnish a new building with a classroom, lockers and weight room; to replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) as needed; to replace the High School gymnasium bleachers; to install baseball/softball field lighting; to the extent funds are available, complete other repairs and renovations to the existing facilities of the District; and issue general obligation funds for the payment thereof? If this proposition is approved, the adjusted debt service levy of theSchool District is estimated to remain unchanged at $0.7500 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation of real and personal property.”

Also, there are two school board races in the Kelly district. Voters will choose two of the following five candidates to serve a three-year term on the board: Dorothy Lewer, Robby Lemonds, Robert Gill, Lance Adams and Kris Heacox. There is also a one-year term available on the board, and voters will choose either Kindel Ward or Todd Hall to fill that position.

Ambulance Districts

Dorothy Secoy and Terry McLain are vying for the three-year term to serve on the Mississippi County Ambulance District 3 Board of Directors. There are no candidates for the three-year term to serve on the Mississippi County Ambulance District 6 Board of Directors.

Cities

The City of Anniston has three positions for two-year terms available on its ballot: mayor, alderman Wards I and II. However, there are no candidates.

Voters in the City of Bertrand will answer the question: “Shall the City of Bertrand be authorized to forgo annual elections if the number of candidates who have filed for a particular office is equal to the number of positions in the office to be filed by the election?” Also, Mike Jensen is unopposed in his bid for the alderman Ward II position. There are no candidates for the alderman Ward I position.

In Charleston, Jackie Whiteside, Philip M. Halter and Joseph (Joe) Mooney are vying for the two positions on the City Council. The terms are for three years.

Running unopposed in the City of East Prairie for the following positions are Terry Bruce McLain, Ward I alderman; and Billy Haney, Ward II alderman. There are no candidates listed for the alderman Ward III position. The terms are for two years.

In Wilson City, voters will choose two of the three candidates to serve on the Board of Trustees for two-year terms: Claude Armstrong, Theoda Ross and Stephie Banks.