In Broken Arrow, voters approved a $52 million school bond package.
The majority of those funds — $48 million — are addressed in the first proposition, addressing technology improvements, enhanced safety precautions and facility maintenance.
Funds will also be used to create a transportation terminal for school buses, including fueling stations and maintenance bays. The district also intends to update the high school tennis facility and renovate spaces at the high school into Fine Arts practice and storage areas.
A second bond proposal of $4 million will go to pay for new school buses. The district says the average age of their existing buses is 13 years old.
The third and fourth proposals are reconsiderations from a 2015 bond, asking voters to approve adding classrooms to existing school sites instead of building a new elementary school and constructing an aquatic center in a new location than previously planned.
School bond issues require a 60% supermajority to pass – which all four issues got easily. School officials say property owners will not see a tax increase.
City of Skiatook sales tax election
A 15-year, one-cent sales tax increase went before residents of Skiatook. They overwhelmingly passed it, with nearly 74% approval.
With the funds, the city will construct two new police and fire facilities. Officials say existing headquarters are inundated with problems, including mold, sewage backups and falling light fixtures.
Additional funds will go toward new fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles, new firefighting and police equipment and the replacement and upgrade of storm sirens.
Officials say the additions will improve response times, help maintain or lower insurance rates and help with recruitment and retention.
A similar bond issue in the city failed last year.
