School election ballots due by May 6
Ballots must be received by the Flathead County Election Department, 290 B N. Main St., Kalispell, by 8 p.m. May 6.
Depending on what school district boundaries a voter resides in will determine what issues they vote on.
Deer Park School District is seeking approval of a $4 million bond issue to relocate/demolish an old teacherage that houses the main office in addition to the attached Quonset hut that holds music, art and Title I classes. A new school building with a main level and basement level would be constructed in its place.
The main level of the proposed building will be roughly 6,670 square feet, encompassing four classrooms, a boy's and a girl's bathroom, lockers, a conference room, janitor's room and storage space. A secure vestibule would lead to a waiting room and new main office and administrative offices. The basement level will house a mechanical room, pump room, crawl space and storage space.
If the 25-year, $4 million bond issue is approved, the owner of a home with an assessed value of $200,000 can anticipate annual taxes to increase by about $162.25. Owners of homes with assessed values of $300,000 can expect annual taxes to increase by $243.37.
Deer Park will also hold a school board trustee election to fill one position with a three-year term. Candidates are Cynthia Barnes and Mikala Cordes.
Kalispell Public Schools is looking to pass a $2.97 million general fund levy for the high school district to cover a budget shortfall and fully fund the high school district, which encompasses Flathead and Glacier high schools, the H.E. Robinson Agricultural Center and Linderman Education Center, the alternative high school. The high school district is currently 90% funded, according to officials.
The general fund is the main budget that covers costs related to operating schools, such as salaries, instructional materials, technology, student support services, utilities, maintenance and extracurriculars not covered by the student activities fund, for example.
The high school district includes voters in Kalispell and 13 partner school districts whose students go on to attend Flathead and Glacier high schools.
If the $2.97 million levy is approved, owners of homes with assessed values of $200,000 can anticipate annual taxes to increase by about $33.04. Owners of homes with assessed values of $300,000 can expect annual taxes to increase by $49.56.
If the levy fails, Kalispell Public Schools will formulate a plan to phase out some programs along with eliminating up to 20.5 full-time equivalent positions, primarily through attrition. This year, Kalispell Public Schools offered a retirement incentive to proactively begin the process.
Kalispell Superintendent Matt Jensen said the district will start formulating a plan to phase out programs after high school enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is completed. Which classes, class sections or programs to phase out will be based on registration/participation numbers.
"We are still in the process of enrolling students, so we have an incomplete picture of the specific courses that will be reduced or eliminated," Jensen stated in an April 23 email to the Daily Inter Lake.
The academic programs and activities Kalispell Public Schools has stated are at stake includes the Vo-ag center and FFA; athletics/teams; trades classes such as culinary, welding, mechanic shop and house construction courses; internships and apprenticeships; and activities such as speech and debate, art, theater and music.
Cayuse Prairie School is holding a trustee election to fill one seat with a three-year term. Candidates are David Dowell and Susan Horner-Till.
Smith Valley School is holding a trustee election for two open seats with three-year terms. Candidates are Jodi Brown, Joe Heidecker, Kyla Huchendorf and Josh Hunt.
Cayuse Prairie, Deer Park and Smith Valley are among the 13 partner school districts that will vote on Kalispell Public Schools' high school district general fund levy.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.
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