Though turnout was very light, those who did vote in the education special purpose local option sales tax referendum approved it resoundingly.
Voters approved the ESPLOST extension, with 73% - 1,554 out of 2,128 ballots cast – in favor.
Of 48,268 registered voters in Liberty County, 2,128 cast ballots in the referendum for a turnout of 4.41%.
The ESPLOST is expected to raise $112 million over five years. Among the items the school system wants to fund with the additional penny tax are a new school, expected to cost $48 million, and an addition at the Liberty College and Career Academy, estimated to cost $5.5 million.
School system officials want to add five new programs to the LCCA and its enrollment could grow by as much as 300 students.
The proposed new school is expected to have between 850 and 1,000 students and likely will be kindergarten through eighth grade.
The school system also is planning to replace the roofs at seven schools which are at the end of their service life expectancies for a total of nearly $7.5 million. Close to another $7 million is scheduled to be spent replacing HVAC systems at several schools and $500,000 will go toward purchases of new buses to replace older buses.
Buses the system now buys also have air-conditioning.
Enrollment in Liberty County Schools is just under 11,000, and officials project those numbers to swell to 12,250 in three years. Technology purchases and upgrades will account for about 16%, or $17.425 million.
Elections officials anticipated a low turnout and staffed their polls accordingly. A typical election costs about $80,000, but with fewer workers needed, this one will cost far less, according to Board of Elections chairman John McIver.
“We don’t try to overplan when we don’t need the personnel,” McIver said. “So you can reduce your personnel. But you can’t cies for a total of nearly $7.5 million. Close to another $7 million is scheduled to be spent replacing HVAC systems at several schools and $500,000 will go toward purchases of new buses to replace older buses.
Buses the system now buys also have air-conditioning.
Enrollment in Liberty County Schools is just under 11,000, and officials project those numbers to swell to 12,250 in three years. Technology purchases and upgrades will account for about 16%, or $17.425 million.
Elections officials anticipated a low turnout and staffed their polls accordingly. A typical election costs about $80,000, but with fewer workers needed, this one will cost far less, according to Board of Elections chairman John McIver.
“We don’t try to overplan when we don’t need the personnel,” McIver said. “So you can reduce your personnel. But you can’t