CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A much-debated, controversial issue on the ballot in Clay County has been settled.
Voters decided 62 percent to 38 percent Tuesday that they do not want an appointed superintendent for Clay County schools.
The defeated referendum, which sought to change the superintendent from an elected to an appointed position, was part of an ongoing and very public battle between the Clay County School Board and the county's current elected school superintendent.
"Our graduation rate's up 7 percent, our FCAT scores were up this past year. We're moving the correct way at the schools academically. The only little bit of chaos we have is actually at school board meetings and has been proffered by school board members. So now we have a majority of school board members that will be mature adults," Superintendent Charles Van Zant Jr. said. "I'm going to do everything I can to make it move forward in that manner. And here's the important thing to remember. We have 41 schools and you can walk into any school, any day of the week and things are working well. We have great teachers, great support people."
MORE: Complete results of Clay County races
The superintendent referendum was so controversial that the Clay County Commission tried to delay the vote until 2016, but the School Board sued and won, getting the measure on this general election ballot.
Supervisor of Elections Chris Chambless said Clay County was on track Tuesday to have between a 51 percent and 52 percent turnout, which he said is typical of a gubernatorial election.
Two seats on the school board were also on the ballot in Clay County -- District 1 and District 5.
Janice Kerekes, one of the board members who has been at odds with Van Zant, was re-elected Tuesday in District 1 by 55 percent to 45 percent over challenger Kenny Leigh.
"There's been a lot of drama," Kerekes said Tuesday. "You know, hopefully we will continue to focus on the children and get back to really focusing on the children. And all of the chaos that's taken place will be gone. The most important issue is again our budget, like we've said repeatedly. We're under our 3 percent reserves, and we need to prioritize the classroom and find any cuts we can."
In District 5, Ashley Gilhousen defeated Sandra Dunnavant 56 percent to 44 percent.
Dunnavant is involved in a legal battle over allegations that she falsified answers on a voter's guide. She even hired attorneys to fight allegations by a group that produced the guide.
An added wrinkle to Dunnavant's legal battle is that it's with a group called Clay Family Policy Forum, which was founded by Gilhousen's mother, who is a Clay County commissioner.
A third race for School Board this year was decided during the primary in August. Incumbent Tina Bullock -- one of the three board members who voted to put the superintendent referendum on the ballot -- lost that race to Betsy Condon.