DELTA SCHOOL VOTERS ELECT THREE TO BOARD

DELTA -- Voters re-elected James Bowers and elected Junior Helderman and Wesley Kinder Jr. to three-year terms on the Delta Board of Education Tuesday.

Bowers was the top vote-getter with 333 votes. Junior Helderman had 329 votes followed by Kinder with 314. Incumbent Donald Hester, who had served on the board for 15 years, finished fourth with 257 votes. Don Dinkins finished fifth with 162, and Doyle Parmer had 92.

The Delta School District covers part of Cape Girardeau County and a small part of Bollinger County. Only a handful of votes were cast in Bollinger County.

All six of the school board candidates had endorsed Delta's school bond issue, which passed.

Those winning election said they were pleased the $1.05 million bond issue for a school addition and other improvements had passed.

"I think it is great," Bowers said of winning re-election. But he added, "More important than getting re-elected is getting the bond issue passed.

"We had a lot of community support and concerned parents that knocked on doors and made telephone calls and I believe that helped," said Bowers.

Helderman said, "I am happy to hear the bond issue passed and we will be able to do some things with the buildings down there."

Kinder said he was pleased the voters "have got a little faith in me."

He said passage of the bond issue is good news for the rural school district. "I think everybody feels like there is a future for it now," said Kinder.