Voters approve bond, override for Sedona-Oak Creek School District . The Sedona-Oak Creek School District made a clean sweep on the 2007 ballot with voters approving a $73.4 million bond issue and two budget overrides.

The Sedona-Oak Creek School District made a clean sweep on the 2007 ballot with voters approving a $73.4 million bond issue and two budget overrides.

Other Yavapai County school districts didn’t fare as well.

SOCSD is the only school district that received approval on all of its ballot items.

Chino Valley Unified School District’s bond failed.

Mayer Unified School District’s bond issue passed, but its budget overrides didn’t make it by voters.

Sedona Red Rock High School Principal David Lykins said he’s not surprised voters granted SOCSD all three of its wishes.

“This community, since I’ve been here, has always placed a high value on education,” Lykins said.

While all three SOCSD items passed, the overrides made it with under 60 percent approval.

The 10-percent maintenance override passed with 1,932 votes in favor, or 56 percent, and 1,514 votes against, or 44 percent.

The 5-percent kindergarten through third-grade override passed with 1,792 yes votes, or 58 percent, and 1,297 no votes, or 42 percent.

SOCSD Superintendent Kim Randall said most Arizona school districts operate on overrides, and if those go away, districts will suffer. If voters hadn’t approved budget overrides for SOCSD it would of had to cut positions and programs to make up for the loss of funds.

“It’s kind of an uncertain economic time for people right now,” Randall said. Greater Sedona residents approving overrides and the bond anyway says something about the community.

Lykins said overrides allow him to keep class sizes small and offer more programs, such as art and music, to students.

The $73.4 million bond was more popular among voters. The issue passed with 2,306 people, or 64 percent, voting for the bond, while 1,320 people, or 36 percent voting against it.

“The bond was the big winner,” Randall said.

Once the community realized the district really needed infrastructure improvements, it stood behind the district, according to Randall.

“We’re not looking to build the Taj Mahal,” Randall said. “We’re just looking to maintain the standard Sedona has come to expect.”

SRRHS receives some money from the bond to complete the original vision of the high school. The 260-seat auditorium will be converted into a 750-seat performing arts venue, 10 classrooms will be constructed and more parking will be added.

West Sedona School, the oldest in the district, will receive the most attention. One wing will be completely demolished and replaced with updated classrooms.

Big Park Community School’s media center will be updated and 10,000 square feet of classrooms added.

Randall said she spoke to the district’s bond agent Wednesday, Nov. 7, and the ball’s rolling.

SOCSD hopes to have a project manager hired in December, a construction manager by January and to have the project underway by late spring, early summer.

“I think the best days of Sedona-Oak Creek School District are ahead of us and I’m excited to have the role of principal [of SRRHS],” Lykins said.

Trista Steers can be reached at 282-7795, Ext. 124, or e-mail to tsteers@larsonnewspapers.com