Voters Approve Bond Issues For Jenks, Union, Skiatook School Districts

Valentine’s Day was also an important election day for several Green Country school districts.

They asked voters to approve multi-million dollar school bond issues.

Union Public Schools had the largest bond issue at stake worth $26 million; unofficial results show that voters approved the construction bond by about 80 percent.

Taxes will not go up as a result, and students will reap the benefits.

But, despite the approval, it was a slow Election Day to say the least. We checked in at Hicks Community Center around 6 p.m. and only a handful of voters had stopped by.

One poll worker told us, "Seventeen all day, and it's almost closing time."

Pamela Smith Pettigrew was one of the voters. She is a bus driver for the district and wants the best for her students, so she voted yes.

"It's just very important, anything to help the kids out. They're our future," she said.

The $26 million does not increase taxes, it just extends the amount of taxes being paid right now.

The money will go to STEM curriculum and resources like computers and software. It will pay for extra classrooms to address deal with overcrowding, and, it will also go toward construction of a new elementary school, which should be finished in August.

Smith Pettigrew said, "They're going to get technology, they're building that new school that I pass by when I be doing my midday, so, all of that is very important."

Check results here.

Jenks Public Schools had two bond issues up for vote worth about $10.4 million total. 80 percent of voters said yes to Prop 1, which will cover facility and technology improvements. They also approved Prop 2, which will pay for transportation costs.

Skiatook Schools have a similar set-up, with two bond issues worth $19 million together. Prop 1 should pass with about 80 percent of the vote. Prop 2, for transportation, should also pass.