Angela Brandt
Havre Daily News
abrandt@havredailynews.com
On Tuesday, voters along the Hi-Line will chose school board members and whether or not to support mill levies.
For Havre Public Schools, three mill levies will be on the ballots. A three-year levy, which would total $550,000, if passed, would go to pay for half the costs of replacing the Havre Middle School roof. HPS director of operations Ric Floren estimated the cost of the roof replacement at $750,000 to $1 million.
The new roof would be pitched, like those at Havre High School, Lincoln McKinley Primary School and Sunnyside Intermediate School. The reserve fund levy is the first phase of the district's fundraising for the project. If the levy is passed, the funds will be banked until another levy, one that would raise the rest of the money, is voted on in three years, Floren said.
Funds from a similar levy, which expires this year, will be used to replace the heating and ventilation system at Lincoln-McKinley Primary School. Construction on the system is set to start this summer.
Also on the ballot in Havre are two three-year mill levies to help fund technology maintenance and upgrades for Havre schools.
Elementary schools would receive $80,000 annually and Havre High School would receive $40,000 yearly for the purchase and maintenance of equipment, including computers and wireless Internet access points.
HPS assistant superintendent Dennis Parman estimated the total cost for updating, replacing and maintaining 20 percent of the schools' computer equipment at about $150,000. The levies would be used to cover $120,000 of those costs, with the difference coming out of the general fund. At that rate, the system would get a complete overhaul every five years. Parman said Havre schools have about 700 computers. So far, technology improvements have been paid for out of the general fund and by using occassional state funds raised from timber sales.
Two elementary district seats with three-year terms are up for grabs.
Incumbent and local businessman Todd Hanson will vie for a seat against newcomers Shad Huston, who works for his family's business, financial planner Gus Sharp and Montana State University-Northern education professor Curtis Smeby
Incumbent Havre High School District A representative Aileen Couch is running unopposed.
The Havre election will be held in the Havre High gym from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Box Elder Public Schools will hold its election at Box Elder Elementary School from noon to 8 p.m. Four candidates are vying for two three-year positions on the board: incumbent Barbara Friede, Timothy Koop, Timothy Rosette Sr. and Luella Swan. Roland Menard, who took over Tammy Houle's position mid-term, and Connie Morsette are running for a two-year term on the board. Jean Butler is not running for another three-year stint.
Eight candidates will be on Rocky Boy Public Schools ballot, including incumbents Debbie St. Pierre and Theodore Edward Whitford Sr. Also running for two three-year terms are: Ted Russette III, Kenneth Standing Rock Sr., Michele Lynn Koop, Jody LaMere, Larry Dale Singer and Wilma Windy Boy. Voting will take place at the Rocky Boy Elementary School gym from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Cottonwood voters will have a new polling place - Cottonwood West campus, located seven miles west of Havre. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Incumbents are Kimberly Faechner, who is on the ballot for a three-year term, and Christine Inman, who is up for a one-year term. Newcomer Kevin Maruska will be on the ballot for a two-year term. All three are running unopposed. A building reserve levy will be on the ballot for $9,420 for each of two years, for a total of $18,840. If passed, the levy funds will go towards remodeling the school for handicap accessibility and maintaining the facility.
In Chinook, polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Chinook High School, Zurich School, Bear Paw School and Lloyd School. Incumbents Kraig Hansen and Jeannie Powell have filed for three-year terms. No candidates filed for the three-year seat representing Elementary District 24, Lloyd School, on the High School board. The person with the most write-in votes will win the election and be appointed by the board. One-year mill levies of $66,833 for the high school district and $24,231 for the elementary school district to establish a budget to provide heating, supplies, text books and general maintenance of the facility will be on ballots. An elementary building reserve levy of $30,000 for each of the next five years also will be on the ballot. The funds, a total of $150,000, would go toward purchasing equipment and remodeling the district's property and buildings. The current building reserve levy, which voters passed in 2001, expires this year.
From noon to 8 p.m., voting will take place in Turner High School's math room. On the ballot is incumbent Randy Maloney running against Kevin VanValkenburg for a three-year position on the board. Voters will consider mill levies for the elementary and high school districts of $7,500 a year per district for the next three years. If passed, the technology levy funds will be used to purchase, rent, repair and maintain equipment, including computers and computer networks. The levies are a continuation of existing levies that expire this year.
Elections in School District 50 will be held at Lodge Pole Elementary School and Hays High School from noon to 8 p.m. Incumbent Gene Helgeson will run against Toby Werk for a one-year term. Thirteen candidates will vie for two three-year term positions, including incumbent Wendy Stiffarm Paul and new candidates Charles Burrows, Patricia Bear, Signa Dodie Bell, Henry Doney, John Doney, Pamela Geboe, Hawkan Haakanson Sr., Gerald Martin, Kenneth Morin, Jay Mount, Eva Walker and Max White Jr.
In Big Sandy, incumbent Laura Boyce will return to the high school district for another three years after she was appointed by the board because she was the only candidate for the position. Incumbent Thad Willis will vie for another three-year term against Darin Genereux. Two one-year, general fund mill levies, one for the high school district for $8,008 and one for the elementary district for $38,589, will be on the ballot. Polling stations will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Big Sandy High School, and Rocky Boy Elementary School and Loma School for the outlying districts.
Polling will run from noon to 8 p.m. at Davey School, which is seven miles southeast of Havre. Violet Davey will run unopposed. A building reserve fund levy of $10,000 will be on the ballot. If passed, the levy will go to maintaining and repairing the roofing and siding on the school's buildings and equipping the classrooms.
Chester/J-I will not hold an election. Incumbent Brett Earl was declared winner and will return to the board for another three-year term. He was the only person who filed for the position.
North Star schools will not hold an election. JoHanna Kapperud will continue for another three years on the board after she was declared winner. She also was the only candidate for her position.
