Warden voters support school levies

WARDEN — Initial ballot counts from the Feb. 10 special election show Warden School District voters approving both the district’s replacement levies, providing continued funding for school operations, safety improvements and technology upgrades. The election will be certified Feb. 20. 

The district’s replacement Capital Levy saw support with an initial vote of 170 yes and 109 no votes as of Feb. 12 ballot counts. The replacement Educational Programs & Operations Levy is leading by a narrower margin, 168 yes and 125 no. 

Superintendent Marc Brouillet said district leaders are grateful for the community’s support. 

“We’re excited about that and really appreciate the support of the community and voters,” Brouillet said. “It’s nice to have another two‑year levy secured for operations, because those are critical funds for every school district.” 

The Capital Levy funding is split between school safety, security and technology improvements, which Brouillet described as urgent needs. 

“Our campus has been around for quite a while, so we’ve got a lot of wear and tear on things that need to be upgraded or improved,” he said.

Half of the levy will go toward those security updates, with the other half dedicated to keeping student technology current. 

The levy rate will increase from 20 cents per $1,000 assessed value to 42 cents, nearly doubling the district’s revenue. This year, the district received about $163,000 from the expiring levy. Under the newly approved rate, that jumps to about $377,600 starting in 2027. 

“We’ve been getting by with bare‑bones minimum,” Brouillet said. “This will give us a little bit of a cushion to do some of those delayed projects and make sure we have all the systems we need to take care of our kids.” 

The EP&O levy supports programs not fully funded by the state, including athletics, activities, and staffing needs. It also ensures the district qualifies for Local Effort Assistance.  

“We’re one of those districts that don’t have a big commercial base,” Brouillet said. “By passing this levy, we receive a little over a million dollars in LEA funds. That’s a very important part of our budget.” 

With both measures ahead in early returns, Brouillet said the district feels encouraged by the community’s trust. 

“We really appreciate their support,” he said. “To have it at this level, 60% for the Capital Levy and nearly 58% for the EP&O. We really appreciate their faith in us to provide a great education for their kids.”