April 6 election to decide school board directors and budgets

Courtesy WWI Museum and Memorial

Changes to the school boards and budgets of most Kansas City area schools are coming. The April 6 School and Special Election will determine the school board directors across much of Kansas City and Jackson County. 

Voters will choose the school board directors for Kansas City (subdistricts one, three, and five), Hickman Mills, Raytown, Grandview, Center, and Lee’s Summit school districts. Also on the April 6 ballot is the contest between Tanesha Ford and incumbent Patricia (Pattie) Mansur for Kansas City School Board Director-At-Large. 

As well, voters will decide on three different questions affecting the area school districts. In the Grandview district, people will decide whether or not to authorize an increase of the operating tax levy. If approved, the operating levy is estimated to increase from the current $4.3057 to $4.9057 per one hundred dollars. 

Residents will also be voting on whether or not to allow Grandview C-4 District to borrow $45 million to improve district buildings and technology. The money would go towards improving the high school technology area, stadium visitor side renovation, cafeteria remodel, fine arts area renovations, and athletic facility improvements. With the money, remodeled restrooms, a new gym, and fine arts facility will be added to the Martin City School; new windows will be installed at Grandview Middle School and Meadowmere Elementary; and complete playground renovations will be made. This measure is not estimated to increase the current debt service property tax levy. 

The Independence School District also has funds at stake in the April 6 election. If voters approve the Independence question, the school district will issue its general obligation bonds to $43 million. The money will go towards safety and security improvements at school buildings, fine arts and auditorium renovations at all three district high schools, playground updates at the elementary schools, and facilities improvement projects throughout the district. Like the Grandview question, approval of the Independence funds is not expected to result in an increase of the debt service property tax levy. 

There will be 47 different polling locations, including the WWI Museum and Memorial, for the election. A complete list of polling locations is available here and Kansas City residents can find specific voting locations here. For non-Kansas City Jackson County residents, polling locations are available here. Each voter is assigned a specific polling location, but according to the Kansas City Election Board, if you are a registered voter and a city resident, you can still vote at any polling location (including at the WWI Museum and Memorial). 

All visitors wearing an “I Voted” sticker or showing proof that they voted in the School and Special Election will receive half-off their admission cost April 6.