Voters in the Gilmer Independent School District rejected a proposed $28.5 million school bond issue Saturday, while voters in another Upshur County school district, Union Grove ISD, overwhelmingly approved a $9.9 million bond proposal.

The Gilmer proposal to construct a new high school failed by 72 votes, 755 to 683, in complete, unofficial returns. A much heavier turnout of district voters had rejected a similar proposal in November 2013 by about 500 votes.

GISD voters also elected attorney Clayton Tefteller over two opponents for a one-year unexpired term on the school board. He will serve on the board with his father, longtime trustee Todd Tefteller.

Clayton Tefteller received 664 votes to 362 for Lula Johnson and 335 for Rodney Finch, according to complete, unofficial returns. Tefteller will fill the unexpired term of Mike Tackett, who resigned from the board months ago.

Total voter turnout for the school election was 1,451.

Gilmer school superintendent Rick Albritton told the Tyler Morning Telegraph thatrejection of the bond issue, which would have triggered a 19.9-cent increase in the school’s property tax rate, means that in “five to six years, somebody’s gonna have to spend a lot of money” to remedy problems with the current school, part of which is 65 years old.

That is “not gonna be good for the taxpayers,” Albritton said. School officials had said the current high school’s deficiencies included such issues as inadequate bathrooms, science laboratories, and security.

“We’ll just keep on having school like we always have,” Albritton said.

Richard and Wendy Johnson, a married couple who campaigned against the bond issue, had expressed concern over the size of the tax increase and that students were doing well in the current facility. They suggested the possibility of other solutions to the school’s problems.

Union Grove ISD voters meantime approved, by a margin of exactly 2-1, funding for a “competition gymnasium,” dressing rooms, and a 700-seat auditorium, including an instructional classroom.

The vote in complete, unofficial returns was 188 to 94, a turnout of 282 voters. Approval will raise the school’s current tax rate of $1.2945 per $100 valuation by 23 cents.

Union Grove ISD superintendent Brian Gray told the Morning Telegraph that the school is “very appreciative to the community for supporting our kids and our schools.”

He said the school’s goal is to build the facilities “on time, (and ) under budget.”

Gray also said a bond committee did an “outstanding job” of presenting information to the public, and that students will “reap the rewards (of the new facilities) for years to come.”