Voters across rural Northwest Missouri nixed three of the six school ballot issues in Tuesday’s election. The outcomes affect schools in Nodaway, Gentry, Grundy, Atchison (Mo.), and Clay counties.

School districts across the region asked voters to increase tax levies or take out bonds to fix or expand school buildings at a time of record low constructions costs and in anticipation of state education cuts. They got a mixed bag in Tuesday’s election.

In Gentry and DeKalb counties, voters approved the continuation of a bond for the King City R-I School District that will generate $2.25 million over the next 17 years. School officials will build a new agricultural building and classrooms to the K-12 school in King City. Bruce Skoglund, King City superintendent, said the bond continuation will put students in regular learning environments. Up until now, preschoolers have been in the gym and special-needs students in two trailers, he said.

The bond first passed in the mid-1990s and is expected to continue at the current levy of 51 cents, Mr. Skoglund said.

News wasn’t as good for school district officials in Nodaway County. Voters defeated a bond initiative to close the South Nodaway Elementary School in Guilford and build a new school onto the nearby South Nodaway High School in Barnard.

The project would have cost $1.675 million and been paid through an existing debt service levy of 89 cents per $100 in assessed valuation.

Terry Hutchings, South Nodaway R-V superintendent, said with the defeat, the levy may now drop 10 or 20 cents. He said residents will save on taxes, but have lost an opportunity to build a new school during record low interest rates on bonds.

“People have spoken loud and clear and we’ll live the consequences and so will they,” Mr. Hutchings said.

Residents in Nodaway County also voted down a $1.75 million bond that would have constructed a new gymnasium and made other improvements at Jefferson C-123 Schools in Conception Junction.

Results at other school districts with bond/levy ballot issues were:

Residents in Grundy County voted for a five-year continuation of the $6.30 operating levy for the Laredo R-VII School District.

Residents in Atchison County voted to increase its current operating levy by 50 cents, to $4.21 for four years. The increase will allow the Laredo R-VII School District to continue its current programs.

Residents in Clay County voted down a bond initiative to borrow $4.375 million for construction of a gym and four additional tennis courts at Kearney High School.

Ahmad Safi can be reached at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.