After months of planning, a variety of meetings and town hall forums, the Knoxville Community School District put the fate of a new middle school, improvements to Northstar Elementary and the highschool in the hands of the Knoxville voters Tuesday. Over 2,100 people hit the polls and at the end of the day phase one of the districts Facilities Improvement Plan passed with 61.47 percent of the vote that included 1,340 votes in favor and 840 votes opposed. Knoxville Schools Superintendent Cassi Pearson tells KNIA/KRLS News now that the vote is over the district will get to work quickly by putting teams together and contacting the architects and construction team to begin planning. Pearson says the architects will be in Knoxville throughout March to speak with students and parents to get more thoughts and ideas for the project. She says the district is grateful to the community for supporting the project and is thankful to everyone for having belief in the students and the belief that they deserve better. 

According to Marion County Auditor Jake Grandia, there are still 24 absentee ballots that have still not been received, but the 24 votes are not enough to change the outcome of the election. 

In Pleasantville voters turned out and approved the school districts use of money from the Secure and Advanced Vision for Education fund and Physical Plant and Equipment Levy by an overwhelming 88.35 percent and 79.84 percent with over 200 people voting in Pleasantville.