Voters approve police station; elect Todd as mayor

     Voters in Grain Valley approved a $14,000,000 bond issue for the site development and the construction, furnishing, and equipping of a police facility. The location for the facility has not been determined, but current aldermen have each expressed support for a site near Butterfly Park. Unofficial results show that 68.82% of the 1,408 votes cast supported the issue. 
     The proposed station will be approximately 22,000 square feet, which the City states is expected to accommodate 20 years of growth. The proposed building has been designed to allow for expansion if needed. 
     The estimated $14 million for the station project includes site development, including utility infrastructure, paved entrances and parking, and all the external and internal features including furniture.  
     Former mayor Michael Todd defeated current mayor Chuck Johnston by 64 votes (52.02% to 47.48%). 
     Reached for comment, Todd expressed his thanks to supporters.
     "I want to thank everyone who came out and supported me to get me back in there. I'm ready to get to work on everything I laid out during the campaign, and I won't let everyone down who put their trust in me," Todd said.
     Dale Arnold won the Ward I Alderman seat by 18 votes according to unofficial results. Unopposed candidates Rick Knox, Ward II, and Ryan Skinner, Ward III, were elected with 95.02% and 96.65% of the vote respectively. 
     Two new school board members will join the Grain Valley School Board. First time candidate Jeffrey Porter led the field of candidates with 26.60% of the vote. Another first-time candidate, Jason Williams, received 21.38% of the 3,105 votes cast for school board candidates. 
     According to unofficial results from the Jackson County Election Board, county-wide voter turnout was 14.6%.