Vernon County residents encouraged to cast their votes in Tuesday's election

Voters in Vernon County are encouraged to go to the polls on Tuesday to vote on various issues in the April 4 Municipal Election. Among the items to vote on include school board members, proposed sales taxes, city council members, school board members, and more.

All Vernon County residents will see a proposed sales tax on their ballots. This sales tax, if approved, would impose a 3 percent sales tax on all retail sales of adult-use marijuana sold in Vernon County. In addition, residents of the City of Nevada will need to consider a 3 percent sales tax on all retail sales of adult-use marijuana sold within the City.

Community members in Nevada will also decide which candidates will fill the two seats on city counil. Each seat is for a three-year term. Candidates seeking election include Jack Somers, Janie Conroy, Carol Branham, and incumbent Kendall Vickers. Information on all of the candidates may be found in both the Feb. 4 and March 31 editions of the Nevada Daily Mail.

Seeking a three-year term on the Nevada R-5 Board of Education are Adam Dean, Lois Ann Pendrak, Alyson Wysong Harder, and Jeremy Fast. There are three seats open to fill on the school board.

Individuals residing within the Northeast Vernon County R-1 School District will go to the polls to decide who will fill the three open seats on the Board of Education. Candidates include Chad Phillips, Heather Brown, Deland Prough, and Heath Brown. An additional one-year term on the board is also open and Mike Newman is vying for the spot, uncontested.

Voters in Walker Township, Dover Township, Clear Creek Township, and Osage Township will be asked to consider a road levy of $0.35 on the $100 valuation for road maintenance for the years of 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, on all taxable real and tangible personal property in their respective townships.

City of Walker residents will also consider whether the city will issue its combined waterworks and sewerage system revenue bonds in the amount of $4,000,000 for the purpose of extending and improving the combined waterworks and sewerage system of the city. This includes acquiring land and rights-of-way; the cost of operation and maintenance of said combined waterworks and sewerage system; and the prinicipal of and interest on said revenue bonds to be payable solely from the revenues derived by the city from the operation of the combined system, including all future improvements and extensions.

Residents in the City of Bronaugh, Mo., will cast their votes to fill two open positions on the Board of Aldermen. Both seats are for a two-year term and the candidates running are Gary Loudermilk and Jimmy R. Gransbury.

The City of Sheldon, Mo., has two open seats on the Board of Aldermen, each being two-year terms. Candidates seeking election include Robert R. Moran, Kassidy Biby, and Debbie Huggins. In addition, Rob Sewell is running unopposed for a one-year term on the Sheldon Board of Aldermen. The sole candidate for Sheldon Mayor is Becky Morgan.

The Sheldon R-8 Board of Education has three positions on the board open, each being for a three-year term. Candidates for the open seats include Gene Leininger, Marlene Moran, Geneva Nicole Blurton, and Bill Nance.

Polling locations open at 6 a.m., Tuesday morning, and are open until 7 p.m. To find your polling place or for more information regarding the voting process, contact the Vernon County Clerk's office at (417) 448-2500.