School levies pass

DAYTON–Two levies on the Columbia County ballot for February 11 passed with flying colors.

The Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy passed with 714 giving a thumb’s up to 429 voting no, for a 62.36% approval versus a 37.47% in opposition.

The two-part Capital Levy passed with a healthy 63.14% giving approval with 723 votes, to 418 against, or 36.51%.

Both propositions required a simple majority to pass.

“I’m grateful for the yes votes from the community,” commented Dayton Superintendent Doug Johnson, after receiving the preliminary Election-night results. “And I’m grateful for the small group of people who comprise the Dayton Citizens for Education who helped get the word out about the levies.”

Both levies were replacement propositions; the EP&O levy for 2012-2024 to collect an annual average of $1.08 million, and the Capital Levy would collect $700,000 over four years.

The EP&O measure helps fund smaller classroom staffing, career and technical education, vocation and STEM programs, athletics, extra-curricular activities, student-health services and nurses, school counselors and other offerings.

The Capital Levy pays for technology infrastructure improvements and upgrades, safety and security systems, facility maintenance and operations, and efficiency improvements such as HVAC and electrical.