Voters to decide school matters

New Jacksonville district, millage issues appear on ballots

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/MELISSA SUE GERRITS - 09/15/2014 - Election Official Pat Williams helps Jacqueline Smith with her voter registration forms at the Pulaski County Regional Building in Little Rock September 15, 2014. Smith voted early in the Pulaski County school elections. adgxelection0916
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/MELISSA SUE GERRITS - 09/15/2014 - Election Official Pat Williams helps Jacqueline Smith with her voter registration forms at the Pulaski County Regional Building in Little Rock September 15, 2014. Smith voted early in the Pulaski County school elections. adgxelection0916

Today is school election day in most of the state's 236 school districts, including in the Pulaski County Special School District, where Jacksonville-area voters will decide whether to establish their own 4,000-student system.

Additionally, voters in the Dollarway and Mineral Springs school districts will select school board members after a period of having no locally elected boards.

Also today, voters in at least 11 districts will decide whether to increase their local property taxes, the revenue from which would go to their school districts.

Brian Poe, director of elections in Pulaski County, said Monday that he is expecting a "decent" turnout. Early voting in Pulaski County -- for all three Pulaski County districts -- totaled 1,548 at the end of Monday.

Arkansas Education Commissioner Tony Wood on Monday called the Jacksonville initiative "precedent setting."

"I feel really positive about it," Wood said.

The detachment proposal on the ballot -- made possible by the approval of a federal judge in January and state law passed in the early 2000s -- is being watched as a model for similar action by other communities.

Efforts by Jacksonville civic leaders to establish a Jacksonville system out of the far-flung 729-square-mile Pulaski County Special district date back to the 1960s.

The state Board of Education in March ordered the Jacksonville/north Pulaski County election in response to a petition signed by more than 2,000 residents of Jacksonville and areas north and southeast of the city. Only residents within those boundaries can vote in the election today.

Residents in other parts of the Pulaski County Special district, including Sherwood, Maumelle and Wrightsville, cannot vote on the detachment plan.

If a majority approves the detachment, the state Education Board would have to order the creation of the new district and appoint an interim school board, which would likely appoint an interim superintendent.

Regardless, a new Jacksonville district likely would operate under the auspices of the Pulaski County Special district for a year or more while decisions are negotiated about the division of resources, property, debt and staff.

Wood said he was "very pleased" for the Mineral Springs and Dollarway school districts that will be electing school boards today after being without local decision-making authority in recent years.

"It is really positive for a local community to regain local control of their local district," Wood said. "I believe in that with all my heart."

The two districts were taken over by the state in recent years, and their school boards were dismissed.

Mineral Springs was taken over by the state for fiscal distress.

Dollarway was taken over for violation of state education standards.

Both districts are slated to return to local school board control Oct. 1, after today's election and the training of their new school board members.

The districts in the state that are asking voters to increase their property taxes to benefit the schools are seeking varying amounts.

For example, the Buffalo Island School District in Craighead County is seeking a 9-mill increase, from 33 mills to 42 mills, for new debt service.

The Lawrence County School District is seeking voter approval of a 6.9-mill increase, from 32.4 mills to 39.3 mills, for debt service and general operating costs.

The Harrison School District is seeking a 4.9-mill increase, from 34.3 mills to 39.2 mills, for construction and remodeling costs.

In a twist, voters in the recently merged Smackover-Norphlet School District will decide on decreasing the former Norphlet School District's millage rate by 1 mill so it will equal the 41 mills collected in the former Smackover School District.

Voters in the annual school election also will select school board members.

In Pulaski County, there are two open seats on each of the Little Rock and North Little Rock school boards.

In Little Rock, incumbent Norma Jean Johnson and Joy Springer are vying for the board's Zone 1 seat, representing east and downtown Little Rock.

Incumbent Jody Carreiro and Jim Ross are running for the board's Zone 5 seat to represent a portion of west Little Rock. The three-year terms of office are unpaid.

In North Little Rock, incumbent Scott Teague and Patrick Lander are running for the Zone 5 seat that represents the northern part of the city.

The three-year terms of office in North Little Rock are also unpaid.

Jon "J.T." Zakrzewski and Sandra "Sandi" Campbell are running for the Zone 6 position that encompasses the northeast part of the district.

Metro on 09/16/2014

To look up your school district zone or ward: CLICK HERE.

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