Several communities had ballot issues on the ballots Tuesday. Here’s a look at how select issues fared:
A bond referendum for a new fire station and city hall facility was approved by voters in this town of roughly 800 residents in Johnson County.
With final preliminary numbers in, the $5.1 million bond proposal gained approval from roughly 68% of voters. The bond referendum needed 60% to pass.
The additional space also will provide room for an expanded City Hall, instead of the small office the city uses in the current fire station.
The new construction will be built at the former site of Hills Elementary School. The city purchased the now vacant school site earlier this year. The new building would be operational around the spring or summer 2028. The city has no plans yet for the current fire station, which was built in 1971.
A bond vote for $2.25 million library expansion in Ely was defeated Tuesday.
The measure got about 50% of the vote, but needed 60% to pass.
In Decorah, voters said yes to a $20.9 million bond referendum to build a new fire station and expand the municipal building.
The measure received about 61.5% of the vote, above the 60% required to pass.
The city asked voters to build a new fire station after a 2025 assessment determined severe structural issues with the existing station. The city’s current fire station was too small to store the department’s equipment on site, and the structure lacked decontamination space or a gear room.
The expanded municipal building will replace the roof, HVAC and other outdated building systems, expand meeting spaces, allow for the relocation of public works, city engineering and the mayor’s office from off-site locations and help improve workspaces in the building.
A ballot issue to reduce the number of county supervisors in Tama County passed Tuesday.
In final preliminary numbers, the ballot measure received support from 56% of voters. It required a simple majority to pass.
The board was expanded in 2022 when Tama County voters passed a measure to expand the board from three to five members. The five-member board was seated beginning in 2024.
Tama was one of two Iowa counties voting on the size of government in Tuesday’s elections. Mills County was voting to expand from three to five members.
In Fayette County, voters narrowly approved an Emergency Management Services levy. The levy would draw 75 cents per $1,000 in valuation for a period of 15 years.
The measure was approved by 61.6% of the voters. It needed 60% to pass.
The levy could be sunset if another workable solution is found.
The county opted for the levy vote after one of two ambulance providers notified the county it would stop providing services Dec. 31 because it was losing money. The provider was one of two with full-time critical care paramedics in the area. The company transports patients needing advanced care to La Crosse, Wis., Iowa City, Waterloo and Rochester, Minn.
With the passage of Tuesday’s levy, it will still take up to a year before funds become available.
In Delaware County, voters within the Lake Delhi taxing district rejected a $9.2 million bond referendum that would have gone toward lake improvements, including dredging.
The vote, which would not have changed the existing debt service levy from current rates, got just 34% of the vote. It needed 60%.
Nearly a quarter of the lake is 4 feet deep or less. The only preveioius dredging project on Lake Delhi occurred in 2006.