Voters approve school levies

Voters on May 7 elected Darcy Schellinger and Nick Polumbus to the Whitefish School Board and approved three levies.

Polumbus was the lone incumbent running for one of two seats on the board. He received the second highest total of votes at 1,103, behind Schellinger at 1,323.

This will be Polumbus’ third term and Schellinger’s first on the board.

Candidates also running in the election were Marguerite Kaminski and Todd Lengacher, who received 955 and 789 votes, respectively.

Voters also passed an elementary general fund levy and a pair of technology levies in the elementary and high school districts.

The levies are meant to shift technology spending into one fund as well as plan for future increases in funds spent on technology, according to the district.

Currently, roughly $183,750 of the spending for technology items are paid for out of the district’s general fund rather than out of a technology levy. Moving current technology costs to a technology budget will free-up general fund money that can be used to meet other student needs, according to the district.

In the elementary district, voters approved a $232,600 technology levy and $50,975 general fund levy, with 52 and 57 percent voting for. In the high school district, voters approved a technology levy of $82,887, with 54 percent voting for.

The annual impact for a taxpayer with a taxable home value of $100,000 will be $8.65, and $17.31 for a home valued at $200,000. General fund levies do not expire, like technology levies which have a 10-year term.

The general fund levy passed by a margin of 350 votes, the elementary technology levy by 150 votes and the high school technology levy by 260 votes.

According to the district, 23 percent of registered voters in the district turned out to vote — 2,727 voters total. That’s an increase of 721 voters, or roughly 36 percent from the last election.