Two, school bond elections will take place in the KJAN listening area, Tuesday. Voters in Cass, Adair, Adams, Audubon, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, and Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties, will decide the fate of an $11.5-million bond issue for Iowa Western Community College. The funds would be used to replace steam lines at IWCC’s main campus, in Council Bluffs.  The polls will be open from noon to 8:00 p.m.

And, patrons of the Harlan Community School District will head to the polls from 7-a.m. until 8-p.m., to decide the fate of a $28.5-million bond referendum. There are four propositions on the ballot:

• Proposition A: A General Obligation bond which would fund facility updates.
• Proposition B – Authorizing an increase in the tax levy by $4.05 per thousand dollars of taxable property value, of which the district will contribute 80-cents per $4.05, leaving a net tax impact of $3.25 per thousand.
• Proposition C – asks for voter approval to extend the PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy).
• Proposition D – Seeks to extend the Instructional Support Levy (ISL).

The latter two propositions have no added tax effect, and are renewals of those levies. Proposition A would impact for homeowners’ property taxes. A homeowner with property assessed at $100,000 would pay $13.75/month, while persons owning agricultural property would pay $3.97/acre.

School officials say the Harlan Intermediate and High School facilities are between 40- and 50-years old, and are in need of major renovations that include security and system updates at the Intermediate and High School. It also would provide more Classrooms/Hands-on space; Auditorium updates; STEM/Science spaces, and updates to the Weight Room, at the Harlan High School. The bond would fund over 180-thousand square feet of renovations at a cost of 50-percent less than a new building.

Safety and Security, Educational Enhancements, and Systems Upgrades are the three main priorities identified as a result of multiple work sessions, and community meetings.