PRIEST RIVER - The final tally on the vote for the West Bonner County School District's $3 million one-year supplemental levy was so close it left many calling for a recount.

Voters approved the measure by razor-thin 11-vote margin, 1,322 yes to 1,311 no. A simple majority, 50 percent plus one vote, was required.

"We appreciate the support of our local voters," WBCSD Superintendent Ellen Perconti said. "With Idaho not fully funding education local support has become a necessity for our district. Without the local support, West Bonner County School District would not be able to provide the current level of education for our students."

Election results won't be canvassed until next Tuesday, however the Bonner County Clerk's Office said a recount would not be held.

"There will not be a recount," county Clerk Ann Duston-Sater said. "We called the Secretary of State this morning and were told that for there to be a recount there has to be a difference of less than 0.1 percent."

The 11 votes equate to a differential margin of .42 percent in the school levy election.

"We've got a lot of questions about holding a recount, much more than normal," said Dutson-Sater.

The passage comes a mere two months after the same voters said no to the school district's previous levy amount proposal of $3.5 million. The March election failed by a vote of 747 nays versus 550 yays, or 42 percent, and seemed to drive a dividing wedge between the community's residents.

Proposed to run from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, the levy will make up the funding for the general fund shortfall of $2,090,788, pay for all extracurricular and co-curricular activities that cost $354,653, pay for the $150,000 curriculum and provide $123,500 for facilities.

The levy will also pay for library and school funds which cost the district $68,400, the cost to employ school resource officers at $55,000, pay for longevity stipends to the tune of $54,509, cover technology supplies set at $50,000, erase students fees that total $35,150 and allot tuition credit payments for $18,000.

"The funding that the levy provides is critical to our district's ability to offer a quality education for our students," said Perconti. "The supplemental levy provides over 25 percent of our general fund budget. And, the levy provides for facility maintenance and all athletics."

The tax rate with a homeowner's exemption comes out to $1.94 per thousand, the same amount seen under the 2013-14 levy. Homeowner's will see a hit of $8.09 per month on a $100,000 assessed home or $19.24 per month on a $200,000 home.

Tax rates for the WBCSD levy are the second lowest of any surrounding schools with only the Lake Pend Oreille School District less at $1.83 per $1,000. The Kootenai Joint and Lakeland School Districts are close at $2.40 and $2.45 respectively, and rates climb to $5.76 for the Wallace School District and $7.38 at the Mullan School District.

Had the levy failed, the district would have been forced to declare a financial emergency resulting in the reduction of staff, reduction of certified and classified employee salaries, the closure of buildings and the loss of all levy funded items including band, choir, drama and all sports.

Moving to a four-day school week was also presented in the back-up plan.

The WBCSD currently serves 1,220 students in six schools. They employ 184 full-time and part-time employees, 74 active on call substitutes, as well as maintaining transportation and the district office.

"We will continue to work to communicate effectively with the community so that they are assured that we are fiscally responsible and keep student learning at the forefront of our decisions," Dr. Perconti said.