School district’s $8M bond vote is Tuesday
Published 9:13 pm Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Voters who want to have a say in whether the Brookhaven School District can borrow $8 million to pay for security improvements and facility upgrades have just four more chances to make their choice known.
Absentee votes will be accepted today and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Lincoln County Circuit Clerk’s office upstairs in the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Government Complex. The election is Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Dustin Bairfield said 29 absentee votes have been cast from a pool of 10,881 qualified voters who live in the Brookhaven School District. Based on those figures, Bairfield expects no more than 2,000 votes to be cast in the bond election.
Polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at four locations — Alexander Junior High, Brookhaven High School, Brookhaven Elementary and Lipsey Middle School.
The bond issue is the only item on the ballot. Voters will check a box either for or against the district issuing $8 million in bonds, Bairfield said. The bond will be issued only if at least three-fifths — or 60 percent — of those qualified electors vote in favor of the proposition.
The following precincts will vote at one of four locations:
• Precincts Alexander, East Lincoln, Fair River, Forestry and Government Complex will vote at Alexander Junior High auditorium.
• Precincts Brookhaven High School, Pearlhaven, Big Springs, Heucks Retreat, Brignall/Rogers Circle, Montgomery, Little Bahalia and New Sight will vote at BHS gymnasium.
• Precincts City Hall, Enterprise, Ole Brook and Johnson Grove will vote at Brookhaven Elementary School auditorium.
• Precincts Halbert Heights, Lipsey Middle School, Old Red Star, Vaughn, Zetus and Loyd Star will vote at Lipsey Middle School gymnasium.
The district finished paying off its latest general obligation bond of $5,345,000 earlier this year.
Superintendent Ray Carlock said the bond issue will not require a tax increase for members of the community and will allow for much-needed safety and security upgrades at all schools.