School bond measures on Tuesday’s ballot

Voters in Spokane, Whitman, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties will decide a variety of financial measures Tuesday, including a bond measure to modernize and expand Deer Park High School.

The $11.9 million bond measure would cost an estimated $1.32 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The district includes voters in Spokane and Stevens counties.

Elsewhere in Stevens County, the Chewelah School District is proposing a $13.7 million bond measure to expand and modernize Jenkins High School to accommodate grades 7 and 8.

The measure also would expand Gess Elementary to accommodate sixth-graders.

Jenkins Middle School, which now houses the sixth through eighth grades, would be closed. The current middle school building opened in 1911 as Jenkins High School.

The 21-year bond measure would cost an estimated $2.65 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

In northern Stevens County, the Onion Creek School District is seeking a three-year, $45,000-a-year operating levy that would cost an estimated $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Also in Stevens County, the Kettle Falls School District is asking voters to approve a three-year operating levy and a two-year levy to buy two school buses.

The $849,500-a-year operating levy would cost an estimated $2.66 per thousand in 2006, $2.61 in 2007 and $2.56 in 2008.

The $75,000-a-year bus levy would cost an estimated 24 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in 2006 and 2007.

Part of the Kettle Falls School District is in Ferry County. Otherwise, there is nothing on the ballot in Ferry County. Nor will there be any election in Lincoln County.

In Pend Oreille County, a two-year, $325,000-a-year operating levy in the Cusick School District is the only ballot item. The levy would cost an estimated $1.31 per thousand.

The Rosalia School District, which is mostly in Whitman County but partially in Spokane County, is asking voters to pass a bond measure to put a new roof on the district’s all-grades school building. The 13-year, $700,000 measure would cost an estimated 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Also in Whitman County:

The Palouse School District is proposing a two-year, $300,000-a-year operating levy that would cost an estimated $4.56 per thousand.

A two-year, $220,000-a-year operating levy in the Garfield School District would cost an estimated $4.93 per thousand. In addition, the district is seeking a two-year, $20,000-a-year levy to repair its facilities. That measure would cost about 45 cents per thousand.

Colton School District patrons are being asked to approve a one-year, $301,947 operating levy that would cost about $4.06 per thousand.

Residents of the towns of Colton and Uniontown will decide whether to join Whitman County Fire Protection District No. 14. Existing residents of the district will vote on whether to accept Colton and Uniontown if the towns vote for annexation.

The town of Rosalia is presenting two levies.

One would collect $40,000 at an estimated cost of $2.41 per thousand to pay for street repairs and improvements. The other would provide $12,000, at a cost of 73 cents per $1,000, to pay for water main replacements.

Oakesdale Cemetery District residents will decide a two-year, $30,000-a-year operating levy that would cost about 59 cents per $1,000.

The bond measures and levies require 60 percent approval to pass.