On election day, the "yes" votes had a narrow 16-vote lead and 85 questioned, absentee and early ballots remained uncounted. Election workers met Friday so mail-in ballots could be counted.
Mayor Sarah Palin said in a press release issued Friday that the 14-percent voter turnout was typical for a Valley election. Palin's press release also acknowledged that local voters keep a close eye on tax-and-spend issues.
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Sports complex booster Dave Tuttle was both excited about the victory and relieved that the wait was over Friday afternoon.
"I'm looking forward to the ongoing process and glad that we came out on top," Tuttle said. Tuttle said so far, he has been involved in the project about 15 months. He was a member of the steering committee that worked with a city-paid design contractor and the initiative drive was Tuttle's first political campaign experience. Tuttle plans to keep an eye on the project as it progresses, but doesn't see himself as a watchdog.
"I don't know that I want to be in that position, but I do want to make sure that things come out the way we envisioned," Tuttle said. "I'm not afraid of pitching in to help."
Palin's press release said the city anticipates construction beginning this summer. Previous estimates from the design firm GDM have put opening day in the fall of 2003.
The voters OK'd a bond for $14.7 million for the sports complex and a sales-tax increase which begins in July and raises the sales tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent. The half-penny increase will expire in 10 years or when the bonds are paid off, whichever comes first.
Thirteen of the 85 ballots examined Friday were rejected for various reasons and four absentee ballots were never returned. According to City Clerk Jamie Newman, some of the rejected votes were from people not registered in Wasilla. Each person will receive a letter explaining why their vote didn't count, Newman said.
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