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School bond measures pass Three districts hope numbers hold steady By Tony Boom Preliminary returns Tuesday showed Southern Oregon voters were feeling generous toward schools, passing bond measures for school construction or renovation in all three Jackson County districts represented on the ballot. In Josephine County, the Three Rivers District measure also was gaining voter approval. With 18.3 percent of votes tallied by 11 p.m., Eagle Point�s $33 million measure was passing by 52 percent, with 976 votes in favor to 801 against. Phoenix-Talent�s $16.2 million bond request was passing by 53 percent, 1,563 to 1,021. Rogue River�s $5.3 million bond had 59 percent approval, 658 to 406. "It will be fantastic if it stays that way," said Jeri Marlia, a member of the task force that developed the Eagle Point measure. "Basically, the Upper Rogue people are really behind the kids." Eagle Point�s bond issue will create new middle schools in White City, Eagle Point and Shady Cove. A new elementary school will be built in Eagle Point and portable classrooms will be removed from the Glenn D. Hale, Little Butte and Mountain View elementary schools. Permanent classrooms will be built at Mountain View and White City elementary schools and a new gym will be constructed at the high school. The bond measure, which also includes safety upgrades and repairs, will provide the first new construction in the Eagle Point district in 22 years. In Phoenix-Talent, the bond measure will provide five new classrooms at Talent Middle School, four classrooms at Orchard Hill Elementary and a choir room at Phoenix High School. New cafeterias will be built at Talent and Phoenix elementary schools. The measure also will fund heating and ventilation overhauls and repairs at the high school, middle school and Talent and Phoenix elementary schools. A modular building will replace the current administration building. The measure is the largest improvement project since the 1986 expansion and remodels of the high school and middle school. "We are very excited about the result so far. We got very positive feedback along the way," said Phoenix-Talent Superintendent Dave Willard. "The citizens� group did their homework on what we needed. They were very thorough and communicated (the needs) well to people." Rogue River�s $5.3 million bond includes renovations and repairs to old school buildings at Evans Valley and Rogue River elementary schools, the middle school and high school. "That�s a good start," said Rogue River School Board Chair Rich Gerstmar. "I�m ecstatic that the community has come together for the kids." Three Rivers School District�s measure was passing 7,185 to 6,774 with 64 percent of the ballots counted. The $24 million measure allows for renovations at Applegate Elementary School in western Jackson County. The measure also will replace two aging schools and provide for renovation at each of the district�s 13 other schools in Josephine County. Rogue River Rural Fire Protection District�s local option tax was passing 62 to 45. It will finance replacement vehicles and provide for a full-time firefighter/emergency medical technician. The five-year tax would raise $171,732 in 2001-2002. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.