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Harmony Grove seeking recount |
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Thursday, 13 March 2008 |
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 By Lynda Hollenbeck
Courier Staff It was decided this morning that a vote recount will be conducted in Harmony Grove School District’s special millage election that was defeated by 10 votes.
A proposed 2.3 mill increase was defeated 482-472 on Tuesday.
Haskell Mayor Jeff Arey, representing the school district, this morning asked the Saline County Election Commission for a recount.
The commission, led by Chairman Greg Brown, agreed to the request and decided to begin the process with early voting ballots at 1 p.m. today
County Clerk Freddy Burton, whose office oversees the election process, said the commission plans to recount all of the votes.
“We’re going to do it all,” Burton said. “It’s good for their peace of mind, and it’s good for us to make sure the equipment is working correctly.”
Burton said he doubts that the outcome will change, but understands why the Harmony Grove patrons are concerned.
The recount will not cost the school district anything, the commissioners told Arey today.
The secretary of state’s office said counties do not charge for recounts involving special election issues, only when candidates request a recount.
According to the vote totals Tuesday night, 482, or 50.5 percent, voted against the additional mills and 472, or 49.5 percent, voted for the tax. The measure went down in early voting, with 77 votes against it and 19 in favor.
If the millage vote stands, the district cannot present voters another millage request this calendar year.
A similar defeat occurred in September 2007 when voters turned down a proposed 2.3 mill increase by a vote of 262-244.
The millage increase would have funded about $1 million to help the school district start a football program.
Harmony Grove students lined Arkansas 229 Tuesday, holding signs promoting the passage of the school district’s proposed millage increase.
Some students played touch football not far from the city’s fire station, which served as the polling location for the special election.
Dale Anderson, who led a grassroots effort in support of the millage increase, said students were trying to promote the school as well as encourage residents to support the millage increase.
“We’re trying to go from a basketball school to hopefully a football school,” said Anderson, a 1987 Harmony Grove graduate.
“We don’t want to be consolidated into Glen Rose or Benton or anything like that. We want our school to grow.”
Harmony Grove offers basketball, baseball and softball. The school district has never had a football program.
Anderson dispelled rumors that money from an increased millage rate would be used for purposes other than the start of a football program.
“The money from the millage is strictly for football,” he said Tuesday.
“It is for the fieldhouse, uniforms, weights, bleachers, everything like that. There’s been speculation that it wouldn’t go for that, but all of it would.”
Funds from the millage also would have been used to build a 1,250-seat stadium.
Anderson said a football program would give the school district an opportunity to showcase its award-winning band and cheer programs.
Students who were waving signs ranged in age from elementary through high school. They said that in addition to helping promote the millage, they were gaining practical experience in the local political process.
Other members of the Election Commission are Margaret Ramsey and Patrick Rhodes.
In another matter today, the commissioners drew for the length of their terms. Ramsey’s term is one year, Brown’s is two years and Rhodes’ is three years.
Courier photographer Josh Barron contributed to this report.
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