Schools hold elections Tuesday

Voters in nine school districts go to the polls Tuesday to approve or deny levy requests and decide school board trustees.

Absentee voting closes at noon Monday. All ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on election day.

Following is a list of where to vote and an overview of the issues that will appear on the ballots Tuesday.

-- Residents of Bigfork’s elementary district vote in the Lutheran Church ARK between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Thad Jordt, Heather Postlewait and Mike Roessmann are the candidates running for two three-year terms on the board of trustees.

-- Voters in the Columbia Falls School District may vote at Canyon Elementary School or Glacier Gateway Elementary School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters will choose from five candidates to fill two three-year seats on the school board. The candidates are Brandee Padgham, Barb Riley, Cassandra Schmidt, Melanie White and Larry Wilson.

-- Helena Flats residents vote at the school between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. They will choose either Judi Hewitt or Kari Mackin to fill a one-year term on the school board.

-- Voters in the Kalispell Elementary District cast their ballots between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo Building.

There are three issues on the ballot.

One is whether the district can purchase property for a new elementary kitchen. The vote will not affect taxes; money for the kitchen was set aside as part of the 2004 bond issue that remodeled Kalispell Middle School. But because the land is not contiguous to existing school district property, the district must get voter approval to move forward with the purchase.

The second issue is a $338,000 general fund levy.

The district requested this levy to help alleviate the $603,000 shortfall it faces in its 2010-11 budget. District officials already have outlined about $250,000 in cuts in the elementary budget.

If voters approve the levy request, taxes on a home with a $100,000 taxable value would increase by a little more than $19 a year. Annual property taxes on a home with a taxable value of $200,000 would go up by around $38 a year.

The money set aside for the new elementary kitchen cannot legally be used to balance the general fund budget.

Elementary voters also get to choose a trustee for a two-year position. Heather Kobos and Brad Eldredge are the candidates.

-- Voters in the Kila School District may vote between noon to 8 p.m. in the school gym.

There is a levy issue on the Kila ballot. The district is requesting a $150,000 building reserve levy to help with construction and maintenance needs. If voters approve the request, it will be levied over three years.

If voters approve the levy, annual property taxes on a home with a $100,000 taxable value would increase by about $29.62. Property taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value would increase by about $59.24 a year.

Kila voters will elect trustees to two boards. There are two three-year seats open on the Kila school board: Angela Carlson, Angie Gustine-Giles, Lisa Hassett-Kaptanian, Tom Kopec, Kami McAllister and Judy Sommers are the candidates.

Voters also will help decide which trustee will represent Kila and the Somers-Lakeside School District for three years on Kalispell’s high school board. Jean Barragan and Rob Keller are the candidates.

-- Smith Valley residents may vote from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the school gym.

There are five candidates vying for two three-year terms on the school board. The candidates are Angie Brown, Duane Dierenfield, Edward Fox, Jerry Snell and Frank Sutton.

-- Voters in the Somers-Lakeside School District may cast ballots at one of two locations. Residents of precincts 13 and 24 vote at Lakeside Elementary School; voters from precincts 29, 33 and 34 vote at Somers Middle School.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There are five candidates for two three-year seats on the Somers-Lakeside school board: Scott Harrison, Lori Moran, Tim Murphy, Tim Rogge and Courtney Shaeffer.

Somers-Lakeside voters will also help decide who will win a three-year seat to Kalispell’s high school board. Jean Barragan and Rob Keller are the candidates who want to represent Somers-Lakeside and Kila.

-- Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the school library for West Valley residents.

Diane Etter, Gary Krueger and Stephanie Nadasi are the candidates for two three-year seats on the school board.

-- Voters in Whitefish may vote between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. in the district board room, located downstairs from the performing arts center in Whitefish Middle School.

There is a $40,643 levy request on the ballot to help the district alleviate the $125,000 shortfall it faces in its 2010-11 elementary budget.

If voters approve the levy, it will raise annual property taxes on homes with a $100,000 taxable value by about $1.47. Taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value would go up by about $2.93 a year.

Whitefish voters also must choose two trustees to fill three-year seats on the school board. Charlie Abell, Peter Elespuru, Ruth Harrison and Jack Silliker are the candidates.