Early next year, Scotts Valley residents will weigh in on the lofty goal of maintaining a small-town character, while meeting the financial realities of operating a city.

The solid approval by California voters of Proposition 51, authorizing up to $9 billion in bonds to fund new schools and school renovation projects, allows Scotts Valley Unified School District officials to go forward with plans to seek up to $6 million of that bond money to build a new gym at the middle school. Fifty-six percent of county voters endorsed the proposition

Boulder Creek residents overwhelmingly voted to levy a $35 parcel tax to buy new equipment for the Boulder Creek Fire Protection District.

Measure D, which would levy a new half-cent Santa Cruz County sales tax to fund $17 million a year in transportation improvements, hovered just above the two-thirds margin required for approval this week.

Scotts Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees President Michael Shulman was re-elected to a third four-year term, leading all candidates. He will be joined by three new trustees on the five-member board.

Former city finance director Jack Dilles ousted three-term incumbent Dene Bustichi in the Nov. 8 Scotts Valley City Council election.

Seagate Technology has decided to end its 37-year relationship with Scotts Valley.