Voters in Montgomery County will have numerous ballot measures and races to consider in the municipal election on April 2.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. on April 2 in Bellflower, Jonesburg, Big Spring, Montgomery City, Wellsville, New Florence, Rhineland and Middletown. Absentee voting is scheduled for 8 a.m.-noon on March 30 at the Montgomery County Clerk’s office.

The Montgomery County R-II and Wellsville-Middletown R-I school districts are running no-tax increase bond issues on the ballot.

The R-II school district is asking its community members to approve an eight million dollar no-tax increase bond issue that will help pay for improvements in all four of the district buildings. The bond issue is called Proposition K.I.D.S.

“It is a continuation of what you’re currently paying,” R-I Superintendent Dr. Tracy Bottoms said. “We’re not increasing taxes. The other big thing to think about is our current capacity of debt that we can borrow is $16.3 million. I can ask for $16.3 million at a no-tax increase, but we’re not doing that. I don’t have $16.3 million of things that need to be addressed.”

The R-I school district is asking voters to approve a $2.7 million dollar no-tax increase bond issue – also known as Proposition K.I.D.S.– that will help pay for improvements in all of its buildings. Last year, the district issued a $1.9 no-tax increase bond issue on the ballot, but the measure didn’t pass.

The Proposition K.I.D.S. Bond Committee held an informational meeting on the issue on March 19 at Wellsville City Hall. R-I Board President Christine Rutherford said the district first planned on putting the bond issue on the ballot during a December board meeting.

“We knew that we were going to be doing it,” Rutherford said. “Because we did it last year, we knew that we were going to try it again this year. We started getting updated information.”

The R-II school district has five candidates vying for three-year terms. They are Daniel Dothage, Samantha Czerniewski, Mike Deering, Kasey Pottebaum and David Reagan. Pottebaum is currently a board member.
The R-I school district has an uncontested race of two members – Rutherford and Danielle Freie – vying for three-year terms.

In Wellsville, voters will decide whether a local use tax should be at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate, a liquor license should be given to businesses and residents should forgo annual elections if the number of candidates who have filed for office is equal to the number of positions to be filled.

High Hill voters will decide whether a $750,000 waterworks and sewerage system should be issued. Bellflower voters will decide if residents should forgo annual elections for six years if the number of candidates who have filed for office is equal to the number of positions to be filled.

There are contested races for Wellsville Ward II Alderman (Paula Adams, Susie Keithley and Burton Smith) and New Florence Ward II Alderman (Bradley Kent and Jason Carter).

There are uncontested races for Bellflower Ward I Alderman (Jeff Fischer), Bellflower Ward II Alderman (Dale Harrison), Bellflower Ward III Alderman (Bradley James), High Hill Alderman I (Steve Devlin), High Hill Alderman II (J. Norman Hardin), Jonesburg Mayor (Bob Sellenriek), Jonesburg Ward I Alderman (Brian Williams), Jonesburg Ward II Alderman (Bobbie Russell), Middletown Alderman (Georgia Scarbrough and Tristan Speagle), Montgomery City Mayor (Mike Spirz), Montgomery City Collector (Jill Dunlap), Montgomery City Ward I Alderman (Tom Benney), Montgomery County Ward II Alderman (Julie Worsham), New Florence Ward I Alderman (Michelle Fortmann), New Florence Ward II Alderman (Glenn “Crash” Bartlett), Wellsville Ward I Alderman (Jacob Houston).