A $6.4-million Bond Referendum just failed to win approval by Jasper County voters during Tuesday’s General Election. The issue needed 60% support to pass, and only received 58.75%. Jasper County Board of Supervisors chairman Brandon Talsma says once newly elected Supervisor Thad Nearmyer is sworn in, the Supervisors will talk about how to move forward with the projects the bond referendum would have funded. He notes the County can financially handle most of the projects over time, with the exception of the new Secondary Roads Department maintenance building and shop. The smaller projects that would have been funded by passage of the bond referendum included new maintenance shops at Mariposa Recreational Area and Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve, furnishing the classroom at the soon to be built Environmental Education Center, and converting the former Jasper County Animal Rescue League building into a Sheriff’s Office training facility. 10,507 ballots cast Tuesday were in support of the referendum, with 7,377 votes in opposition. Talsma noted the margin the bond referendum was defeated by was less than 1.3%, so it might be worth another try.

“I’ve heard from people who didn’t even know this was on the ballot, even though we had a lot of in-person and virtual informational meetings about it.” 

The county supervisors said the referendum would not have caused a tax increase, because the county has a significant amount of debt that is being paid off.