By SCOTT AUST/Greater Garden City
Finney County voters on Tuesday approved a sales tax to build a new County jail and elected new members to school and city boards.
All the following vote totals are unofficial results from the Finney County Clerk’s office. The official canvas of Tuesday’s general election will be at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 17, in the Commission Chambers at the County Administrative Center, 311 N. Ninth St.
The countywide sales tax passed easily with 2,690 voting yes, and 946 voting no.
The ballot issue asked voters to approve a half-cent sales tax to build a new jail, estimated to cost $55 million, and remodel the Law Enforcement Center, at an estimated $32.5 million cost.
Garden City voters elected Deb Oyler to the city commission while incumbent Troy Unruh finished fourth and will be exiting the commission. Incumbent Bryce Landgraf finished second while newcomer Karen Canales Lozano finished third.
Vote totals included Oyler, 1,825; Landgraf, 1,473; Canales Lozano, 1,194; and Unruh, 1,072. There were also 63 write-ins in the contest.
In the Garden City-USD 457 Board of Education election, Katie Cole, Rebecca Swender and Jacob Jenkins finished in the top three with Robin Nichols just one vote behind in fourth place. In fact, just seven votes separated second place through fourth place.
The top three vote getters after the vote is certified will replace seats previously held by Andy Fahrmeier, John Wiese, and Jackie Gigot who all chose not to run for reelection.
Vote totals included Cole, 1,578; Swender, 1,453; Jenkins, 1,447; Nichols, 1,446; Whitney Buchman, 985; and Lynnlea Anderson, 887.
Voters elected Merilyn Douglass, Renaldo Mesa and Bob Larson to four-year terms on the Garden City Community College Board of Trustees. Douglass and Larson were incumbents. Incumbent Leonard Hitz finished fourth and will be going off the Board.
Vote totals included Douglas, 2,358; Mesa, 2,141; Larson, 2,026; Hitz, 1,838; Nicholas Vrana, 552; and Alexander Johnevich Olinger, 531.
Holcomb voters elected Cory Williams, Brian Crockett and Erica Ortega to the Holcomb City Council. Incumbent Sam Mesa lost his reelection bid, finishing fifth out of seven candidates. Incumbent Ron Schreibvogel chose not to run for reelection.
Vote totals included Williams, 284; Crockett, 166; Ortega, 141; Tina Brungardt, 124; Mesa, 114; Trever Welch, 84; and Mandy Fritz, 34.
In the Holcomb-USD 363 Board of Education races:
District 1-4 Position 4 Jarek Mader defeated Jason Cogan 352 votes to 98.
District 2-5 Position 5 Landon Lukens recorded 302 votes and topped Kasey Robinson who finished with 160.
District 3-6 Position 6 Dave Novack totaled 427 votes running unopposed.
A total of 3,832 out of 20,812 registered voters in Finney County cast ballots in Tuesday’s election, a voter turnout of 18.41%. A total of 2,917 people voted on Election Day, with 813 voting early and 102 voting absentee.
