KINGWOOD — Twelve of Preston County’s 28 precincts voted against the special school levy Feb. 2.
But that wasn’t enough to defeat the levy, which won by a margin of 350 votes, according to the final figures certified Wednesday by the Preston County Commission. The final, official tally was 3,086 voters for the levy and 2,736 against it.
There was a 30.91 percent voter turnout — 18,835 voters — according to those results.
The largest voter turnout was at Precinct 24, in Fellowsville, where 46.47 percent of the voters turned out to pass the levy, 166-137 votes. The lowest voter turnout, 20.14 percent, was in Precinct 10, the Masontown Fire Hall, where the vote was 73-69 for the levy.
Precincts that voted down the levy were: Precinct 6, Lenox, 96 for and 108 against; Precinct 8, St. Joseph’s Church Social Hall, Howesville, 121-15`1; Precinct 14, Terra Alta, 47-112; Precinct 16, Kingwood, 32-33; Precinct 17, Albright, 80-100; Precinct 18, Terra Alta, 93-155; Precinct 20, Terra Alta, 135-152; Precinct 22, Newburg, 99-133; Precinct 23, Eglon, 40-53; Precinct 25, Tunnelton, 64-80; Precinct 26, Tunnelton, 64-104; and Precinct 28, Horse Shoe Run, 32-46.
All of those precincts except Precinct 6 also voted against the school levy that was on the May 2018 ballot. A total of 15 precincts opposed the May levy.
A big turnaround was in those precincts reflecting the Fellowsville and Rowlesburg school attendance districts. The board of education’s consideration of closing those two schools led residents to demand another levy be put before voters, and at public hearings, they promised to support it this time.
Precinct 27, Rowlesburg, which defeated the May levy, 126 for to 248 against, voted for this levy, 177 for and 116 against. Precinct 24, Fellowsville, voted 122-199 against the May levy but 166-137 for the levy this time.
The five-year levy will raise $4.5 million per year for Preston County schools.
Also at Monday’s meeting, commissioners:
appointed Mark Wilt to fill the unexpired term of Matt Bright on the Preston County Parks and Recreation Commission. The term ends Dec. 31, 2020.
agreed to send a representative to a board of education meeting to urge middle school students to participate in an essay contest sponsored by the County Commissioners Association of West Virginia. Commissioners also agreed to make themselves available to speak in schools about what county government does.
