With students in Webster, Greene and Christian counties, the Logan-Rogersville school district had to track election results in all three areas as it sought funding to improve school safety and teacher pay.
The district offered two proposals — an $8 million bond issue that would not raise taxes, and a 49-cent operating tax levy increase to fund the two issues.
Superintendent Shawn Randles said that with 100 percent of the vote in (though not officially certified), the school bond issue passed 72.4 percent to 27.6 percent.
An increase in the district's operating tax levy passed 51.8 percent to 48.1 percent.
"Southwest Missouri people really value their schools, and it showed tonight," Randles said. "Going into this, we felt we had done our due diligence. We were confident the yes votes were there. We were just hoping they would show up at the polls."
Randles said that with voter approval, the district hoped to seek bids for the various projects within 30 days. Work on some of the projects could begin as soon as summer.
Voters weighed whether the district should renovate Logan Elementary and add a tornado safe room, renovate school entrances to add secure vestibules, add cameras to school buildings and buses, repair and maintain buildings, and increase employee pay.
According to the district, the ballot issues will provide a 6 percent base raise for teachers and an 8.85 percent increase for all support staff.
Of the two ballot issues, one would change property tax bills and the other would not.
Voter approval of the latter means the operating tax levy will move up to $3.56 per $100 of assessed value and increase the annual tax bill on a house valued at $100,000 by an average of $93.10 a year or $7.76 a month.
The bond issue will not change property tax bills but will extend the amount of debt owed by the district.