One vote.

That’s all it took to determine the outcome of two regional races after both ended in a tie on Nov. 1. After a recount Monday, a $50 million bond measure for Ignacio School District passed by a vote of 524 to 523, while Janie Hoover won a seat on the Bayfield School Board by a vote of 753 to 752.

La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Lee Parker called the results “amazing.” Archuleta County also performed a recount Monday because both school districts cross county lines. The final results include numbers from both counties.

The recounts were mandated because the difference in votes in both races in the Nov. 1 election was less than half a percent. The daylong process Monday was performed by the 10-member canvas board that also counted votes on election night, Parker said. Legal council from the Secretary of State’s office also reviewed the process, she said.

Ignacio school bond

Celebrations were already under way Monday at the Ignacio School District administration office. The 20-year bond will pay for construction of a new middle school and renovations to Ignacio’s intermediate, junior high and high schools. The district will vacate the elementary school because of air-quality concerns and will tackle asbestos issues in all of the school buildings.

At the end of the three-to four-year process, the students will consolidate into three schools instead of four.

Renovations also will include replacing air flow, plumbing and roofing systems with more energy-efficient models and installing new fire-detection and alarm systems. Single-pane windows will be replaced by energy-efficient versions. The district is considering installing solar panels as well.

“I’m glad we did it,” Superintendent Rocco Fuschetto said. “It will be great for the whole community of Ignacio.”

Gina Schulz, chairwoman of Citizens for Safe and Secure Ignacio Schools, a group that advocated for the bond measure, said the measure’s passage makes her proud to be an Ignacio resident.

The measure’s approval also means the district will receive a $5.8 million grant through the Colorado Department of Education’s Building Excellent Schools Today program. The district applied for the grant, which requires schools to raise local matching funds, but was placed on the alternate list. However, because voters in several other districts that were approved for the grant didn’t pass bond measures to raise matching funds, Ignacio will now receive grant money.

“I wish I knew where that $5.8 million vote was,” Schulz said, referring to the single vote that passed the bond measure.

The grant means the district will now need to borrow only about $44 million.

Bayfield School Board

In the Bayfield School Board elections, Hoover was one of four candidates vying for three four-year terms on the board. At the end of election night, she was tied with Timothy Stumpf – each had 749 votes.

After hearing the results of Monday’s recount, Hoover said she was excited to get to work.

“I’m just very thankful for all the people who have supported me,” she said.

Hoover is a mother of four and owns Bayfield Insurance. Levi Mead and Mike Derrickson won the other two four-year terms on the board.

As they reflected on the process, all of those involved in the recounted races spoke about the power of every vote.

“I think one thing that people have to realize is that every vote counts, and this is a perfect example,” Fuschetto said. “It’s a good civic lesson for everybody.”

ecowan@durangoherald.com