The former Iowa Juvenile Home facility in Toledo looks to be the next home for South Tama County's new middle school project as unofficial voting totals show school district voters approved a bond referendum Tuesday to fund the proposed $26.8 million middle school project. -- News Chronicle file photo

The $26.8 million South Tama Middle School Facility project appears headed forward as unofficial results from Tuesday’s special school election showed 83.43% of voters voted yes on the single-question ballot to fund the project.

On the ballot was a question asking voters to approve $15 million in general obligation bonds to go toward the construction and renovation of a middle school facility at the vacant, state-owned Iowa Juvenile Home facility two blocks south of the current middle school in Toledo. The remainder of the project funding will coming from state sales tax dollars the district already has the authority to spend.

Unofficial results by precinct

Absentee:

Yes- 60

No- 11

Chelsea:

Yes- 93

No-10

Meskwaki Settlement:

Yes- 16

No- 0

Montour:

Yes- 74

No- 22

Toledo:

Yes- 359

No- 64

Tama:

Yes- 269

No- 66

Total:

Yes- 871

No- 173

2022 Turnout Total: 1,044 voters

2020 Turnout Total: 1,581 voters

Turnout for the 2022 special school election was much lower than in 2020 with a total of 1,044 voters participating this year. In 2020, the first attempt at the STC Middle School Bond Referendum garnered 1,581 voters from within the school district territory.

Speaking moments after the results arrived at the Auditor’s Office in Toledo, South Tama Board of Education President Mandy Lekin said, “I’m very happy with the results of tonight’s election and am pleased to see the support our district has received from the community. Let’s get this project started.”

Also present to see the results roll in was long-time South Tama Middle School educator Kathy Wilkerson who said she was grateful to the school board and community groups that put in the hours and efforts to make this project a reality.