Staff Report 

Voters approved two South County school district bond issues, including Lindbergh Schools’ Proposition R, in last week’s election.

Ed Ryan defeated Fred Baumgarth to be re-elected to the Mehlville Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

And voters in the city and county rejected the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s bid to expand into private stormwater issues with an impervious fee.

Voters also approved a new St. Louis County Charter amendment that divides the county counselor’s office into three sections for three government branches.

Lindbergh Proposition R

Voters overwhelmingly approved Lindbergh Schools’ Proposition R, an 83-cent, $105 million no-tax-rate-increase bond issue that will build a new Lindbergh High School and add secure vestibules to the front entrances of every school in the district that doesn’t already have one.

Prop R got 77 percent of the vote, when it only needed 57 percent to pass.

“My sincere thanks goes out to our community members who recognized the value in creating safe, secure and future-ready schools for all Lindbergh students,” Superintendent Tony Lake said in a news release. “I’d also like to thank our volunteers who worked so hard to make Prop R a success.”

Ed Ryan re-elected 

Two-term incumbent Ryan won re-election for a third term on the fire board over Green Park resident and retired former Mehlville firefighter Baumgarth.

Ryan defeated Baumgarth 65 percent to 35 percent.

The win earns him a third three-year term, joining board Chairman Aaron Hilmer and Treasurer Bonnie Stegman, who are both on their third terms.

Ryan was unavailable to comment on his win.

“I am encouraged to see that the voters have reaffirmed, once again, that they are supportive of the current direction of the district,” Hilmer said.

MSD Proposition S – new stormwater fee rejected

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s bid for Proposition S, a new stormwater impervious fee, failed after voters in St. Louis County rejected it 54 percent to 46 percent. The new fee would have allowed the utility to move into a new service area fixing stormwater problems on private property. St. Louis city voters approved the fee by a narrow margin, 51 percent to 49 percent.

The fee would be calculated based on square footage of impervious area.

In an interesting twist, longtime critic Tom Sullivan said he was actually on the fence about the ballot measure.

St. Louis County Charter – Proposition 1 approved

Voters approved a new amendment to the St. Louis County Charter. The amendment will split the county counselor’s office into three divisions to separately represent the county executive, County Council and the judicial branch. Some members of the County Council supported it and some were opposed. To read an article on what both sides think could happen as a result of the change, visit www.callnewspapers.com.

Some members of the council believe they could get better legal representation with the amendment, but others predict nothing substantial will change.

Under the plan, which is supported by council Chairman Sam Page, D-Creve Coeur, county lawyers would all still report to County Counselor Peter Krane.

When it comes to the sometimes diverging views of the council and county executive, “it’s impossible to represent both of those interests at the same time,” Page said of why he proposed the idea.

Bayless Proposition 1 approved

Bayless Schools voters approved a no-tax-rate-increase bond issue, Bayless Proposition 1, to expand Bayless Jr. High and add a cafeteria and library, which students now have to walk to Bayless High School to use. The bond would also add classroom space.

The bond issue had to gain 57 percent approval to pass, and it earned 77 percent with all five precincts counted.

Green Park Ward 2 Alderman elected

In the Green Park Ward 2 aldermanic race between Donald Lattray and Matt Farwig, Farwig prevailed with 65 percent of the vote to Lattray’s 27 percent.

It was a 3-3 tie in absentee balloting, but vote totals increased in final voting to 75 votes for Farwig and 34 for Lattray.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect vote totals for MSD’s Proposition S in St. Louis city.