Benton County approves tax levy for emergency services

Benton County voters approved a tax levy to fund emergency medical services by a margin of 76% to 24% in the Nov. 7 city election.

The 15-year tax levy of up to 68 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation received 3,678 ayes and 1,173 nays at the ballot box.

Lyle Morrow won the Belle Plaine mayoral race with 326 votes. Incumbent David Fish, who died Election Day, received 212 votes.

Garrett Landuyt defeated Mary T. Pech 334-196 to earn the expiring at-large council seat.

Voters in Belle Plaine School District approved a public measure to adopt a revenue purpose statement for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund by 79.42% to 20.58%. A total of 467 yes votes were cast in Benton County, while 121 voters said no.

City and school elections brought out nearly 27% of Benton County voters. Of the 18,494 registered voters in the county, 4,957 cast ballots.

Complete unofficial results were published in the Nov. 10 issue of the Belle Plaine Star Press Union.

Just over 12% of registered voters in Iowa County went to the polls. The 1,505 voters (out of 12,393 registered) decided several ballot measures that would allow increased tax levies and bonding for school construction projects.

Jillissa Chvala and Ellen O’Rourke were the two top vote-getters for at-large Iowa Valley School Board seats. Chvala received 200 votes; Ellen O’Rourke, 149; and Benjamin Wagner, 145.

Williamsburg mayor, Adam Grier, ran uncontested and received 118 votes. Only three candidates — Dale Walter, Anne Zalenski and Tyler Marshall — ran for the three city council seats, and only two candidates sought two seats on the school board, Mark Armstrong and Quinn Wolfe.

In one of the few contested mayoral races in Iowa County, Mattew Stoner received 25 votes to become Parnell’s mayor. Larry Schropp received 21 votes.

In Victor, Eric Refer defeated Donald Craig for the mayoral seat, 119-89.

Complete unofficial Iowa County results were published in the Nov. 10 issues of the Marengo Pioneer Republican and the Williamsburg Journal Tribune.

A total of 3,491 voters cast ballots in Poweshiek County Nov. 7. Les Taylor won the Brooklyn mayoral race, defeating Matt Van Tomme 131 to 119.

Deep River’s mayoral candidate, J. Casey Pierce, received 20 votes, but write-in votes totaled 74, making Pierce’s win uncertain.

Other Poweshiek County results are available in the Nov. 10 issue of the Poweshiek County Chronicle Republican.