70% Tekamah-Herman Residents Want New Tekamah School

By Brian Depew, Lyons area resident

Can also be viewed at burtcountyschool.com

A crowd of over 300 people gathered in the Tekamah-Herman gymnasium this evening. Following two hours of presentations comparing costs, levy rates, curriculum and activities offerings, Tekamah-Herman residents voted overwhelming to build a new school in Tekamah.

70% of those voting chose the option of building a new school in Tekamah. Only 23% chose county-wide consolidation. Applause broke out in the room when the tabulated results appeared on the overhead screen. Superintendent  Brandon Lavaley called the results “helpful direction for the School Board to make decisions with going forward.”

The fiscal impact of Tekamah-Herman building a new facility on their own rather than joining the proposed Burt County School is 7.4 cents on the levy, or $74 per $100,000 of valuation. Tonight, residents indicated they were willing to pay that extra levy to maintain their community school closer to home.

All options presented included closing the Herman location.