People who reside in the Tate County School District will receive another opportunity to decide whether to approve a school bond for several improvements planned within the district.
A special election for the $6.5 million bond referendum is set for Tuesday, June 7, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., at the usual polling stations throughout the county. The bond must receive approval from 60 percent of registered voters for it to pass. Only residents living within the Tate County School District are eligible to vote.
According to Superintendent Alee’ Dixon, money from the bond will be used to construct a new gymnasium at Strayhorn High School ($5.8 million), renovate/ remodel the stage in the gym at Coldwater ($266,000), and renovate/ remodel an existing building at Independence High School for a band hall ($350,000).
The new bond won’t require a tax increase because it is replacing debt from a previous bond issued in 2006 for completed projects at Independence and Strayhorn that comes off the district’s books in June.
Voters rejected a $7 million bond from the Tate County School District in March by a final tally of 678 to 501.
Dixon said the district lowered the amount of the current bond because additional Agriculture Technology classrooms and a shop building at Independence High School were deleted from the proposal. That project has an estimated cost of $750,000.
“The Ag shop was removed due to state legislators providing funding during their last session,” she said.
The TCSD bond issue is not the only item on the ballot Tuesday, June 7. A primary election for the U.S. Congressional District 1 seat featuring Republican candidates Trent Kelly and Mark D. Strauss and Democratic candidates Hunter Avery and Dianne Black will also be included.
Residents who live in Senatobia 1 and Senatobia 3 precincts will only be voting in the U.S. Congressional District 1 primary.
Absentee voting began Monday, April 25 and runs through Saturday, June 4. The Tate County Circuit Clerk’s Office will open from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, May 28 and Saturday, June 4, for those who choose to vote absentee.
If you have questions about voting in Tate County, contact the circuit clerk's office at 562-5211, then push option 4.
Here is a list of locations of county precincts where you can vote June 7.
• Arkabutla – Arkabutla Community Center, 8225 Arkabutla Road
• Coldwater – Tate County Schools Central Office (Boardroom), 574 Parkway Street
• Evansville – Evansville Baptist Church Family Like Center, 471 Evansville Road
• Independence – Independence Fire Department, 5480 Highway 305
• Looxahoma – Looxahoma Community Center, 1198 Lyles Road
• Palestine – Greenleaf Fire Department, 8584 Palestine Road
• Poagville ¬– Poagville Fire Department, 1206 Poagville Road
• Poagville – The Grove Baptist Church, 100 Hickory Grove Road
• Sarah – Sarah Community Center, 15,670 Brownsferry Road
• Senatobia – Senatobia Community Center, 104 Southern Street
• Senatobia – WoodmenLife Building, 137 Halls Mill Levee Road
• Sherrod – Crockett Community Center, 7256 Highway 4 West
• Strayhorn – Flag Lake Baptist Church, 1628 Highway 4 West
• Strayhorn – Old Flag Lake Church Multipurpose Building, 1957 Flag Lake Road
• Taylor – Antioch #2 Church, 3330 Arkabutla Road
• Thyatira – Thyatira Church of Christ, 26,059 Highway 4 East
• Tyro – Tyro Community Center, 7676 Looxahoma-Tyro Road
• Wyatte – Wyatte Baptist Church, 30,721 Highway 4 East
