Oklahomans to decide local issues today

Monday, October 8th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Oklahoma voters will decide several issues in local elections today, including school bond proposals, a proposal to allow off-track wagering and a contract under which city police officers will work.

Officials in the Blackwell school district are asking voters to approve a proposal to fund the construction of two new elementary school buildings at a cost of almost $20.2 million.

In Stillwater, voters will be asked to approved whether the school will receive $2.1 million to complete projects approved in an $11.5 million bond election in 1999.

In Duncan, voters are being asked to approve a $16.4 million bond proposal that will be used for six projects over six years in the school district.

The first bond would be for $15.7 million to complete construction on a new middle school, remodel the old middle school and repair all elementary and high school buildings.

Voters in the Jenks school district are being asked to approve a $12.1 million bond to build a new intermediate school and a $200,000 bond to buy new buses.

McAlester voters will decide whether property taxes are raised by nearly 12 percent to fund several major projects in the school district.

In Tahlequah, voters will decide a sales tax proposal that would raise $2 million for renovations at Northeastern State University's Gable Field. The sales tax would continue for two years unless the $2 million goal is met before then.

In Vinita, voters will decide a 5 percent city sales tax levied on hotel and motel rooms that would raise money to promote tourism and economic development.

Garfield County residents will decide whether to charge an emergency telephone fee to pay for countywide emergency 911. Johnston County residents will vote on whether pari-mutuel, off-track wagering should be allowed.

Guthrie voters will be asked to approve the use of $1.8 million in proceeds from the sale of land to the Guthrie Job Corps Center to build a new fire station.

In Choctaw, voters will pick the contract under which city police officers will work.

The city is offering a contract that calls for a 3 percent increase in salary and benefits, and overtime totaling $4,938. The union contract proposal agrees to a 3 percent increase in salary and benefits, but seeks overtime totaling $13,486.