The second time was not the charm for the East Troy Community School District referendum, according to unofficial results released by the Walworth County Clerk’s office Tuesday night.
Seventy-three percent of residents voted no to the referendum, which would have given district the authority to spend $19 million for facility improvements throughout the district that officials said are needed in the immediate future.
Two local presidents were unseated. Randy Timms beat out incumbent Bill Loesch for the Village of East Troy President position. Ted Zess and incumbent Dawn Buchholtz came out the winners in the East Troy school board race with incumbent president Brian Wexler coming up short.
The other area issue garnering considerable attention — the Gateway Technical College referendum — was soundly defeated by voters. The college’s request for permission to borrow $49 million for academic and facility expansion and upgrades was shot down by 60 percent of the voters who cast ballots.
For additional information, see this week’s print editions of the East Troy Times and East Troy News.
Results of contested local races are posted here. Even after all of the precincts have reported, the totals are unofficial until the canvass later this week.
East Troy Schools referendum
No, 2,794 votes; Yes, 1,059 votes
East Troy Community School District board member (two seats)
Ted Zess, 1,868 votes; Dawn Buchholtz, 1,349 votes; Brian Wexler, 1,217 votes; Charles Harwood, 1,147 votes
Gateway Technical College referendum (all voters in Kenosha, Racine and Walworth Counties)
No, 35,160 (60 percent); Yes, 23,208 (40 percent).
East Troy Village President
Randy Timms, 617; Bill Loesch, 458
East Troy Village Trustee (three seats)
Fred Douglass, 659 votes; Dusty Stanford, 642 votes; Chris Gultch, 588 votes; 120 write-in votes
Town of Troy Supervisor (two seats)
Kathleen Tober, 519 votes; Ben Bourdo, 448 votes; Brian Wexler, 286 votes
Town of Troy Clerk/Treasurer
Michele Stute, 402 votes; Cheryl Chapman, 353 votes