Area school board directors re-elected, NICC levy renewed by low September 10 turn-out

A small turn-out of Allamakee County voters returned several school board representatives back to their respective seats during the Tuesday, September 10 School Board Election. Those same voters also overwhelmingly approved Public Measure Z, the 20-1/4 cent levy to support Northeast Iowa Community College.

ALLAMAKEE CSD
Two incumbent candidates were seeking voter approval to return to their respective seats on the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors. Both received nearly 100% of the votes cast in their unopposed races, District 1 Director Scott Melcher garnering 188 votes and At-Large Director Allan Rissman receiving 190 votes.

EASTERN ALLAMAKEE CSD
In similar fashion, voters in the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) cast 94 votes to return Heather Schulte to a Board of Directors seat, where she will now represent District 3. With no At-Large candidates formally filing for the other open seat on the EACSD Board, Melanie Mauss received 30 write-in votes to be elected to that seat, with Erika Wagner managing a close second-place total of 24 votes and Lynnette Winters also receiving 14 write-in votes.

NICC DIRECTOR
Allamakee County voters in the ACSD and EACSD joined forces with those in the Postville Community School District to help re-elect Kathy Gunderson to her position as District 2 Director on the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Board of Directors. Gunderson garnered 395 votes from Allamakee County, with overall NICC District vote totals being compiled and officially canvassed by Dubuque County September 30.

NICC LEVY
By an 80% vast majority, Allamakee County voters in the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) district gave their approval for the renewal of a 20-1/4 cent levy during the September 10 election. That levy has been in effect since 1966 when community colleges were created. The unofficial vote results show that 78% of voters in the NICC District approved the measure.
“I am thrilled to report that the unofficial results indicate that Northeast Iowa Community College’s 20-1/4 cent levy request was approved by the voters. Official results will be certified by the board of supervisors on September 23,” NICC President Liang Chee Wee, Ph.D., said. “This critical investment allows NICC to continue to provide quality education and training to our students, which in turn enables them to pursue family-sustaining careers. NICC students’ success also impacts the vitality of the communities in which they live.”
Iowa community colleges are authorized by Iowa Code to ask voters in their districts to approve a levy for up to 10 years to help fund equipment and technology purchases, library acquisitions, utilities payments and maintenance. The 20-1/4 cent levy is derived from the taxable valuation on property. For example, if a homeowner's taxable valuation of a house is $100,000, the homeowner is currently supporting NICC at $20.25 per year through this levy.