2 incumbents, recent grad elected to Scott City School Board; other area school board results

Scott City voters returned incumbents and elected a young newcomer in Tuesday night's school board election, an election defined at least in part by a controversial dress code policy.

Board president Scott Amick won a third term on the board with 26.5 percent of the vote. Fellow incumbent Sally Porch, who has served 12 years on the board, received 22 percent of the vote.

"I'm just very appreciative to the voters," Porch said, following her victory. "I think they know I'm loyal to the school board and my main interest is the kids."

Daniel Lance, a 2005 Scott City graduate, earned the final seat on the board, just edging out Beth McDonough Cox with 18 percent of the vote. It was a dream come true for Lance, 24. The first-time candidate said he has wanted to run for the Scott City School Board since he was a sophomore in high school.

"I think a lot of people wanted a younger person's perspective," Lance said. It was unclear late Tuesday whether he is the youngest school board member in Scott City history, but he believes he is. "I'm excited to get started. and I would like to thank everybody for their support."

Beth McDonough Cox, challenger and co-chairwoman of the district's dress code committee that helped the board craft the dress code policy, finished just out of the running, with 17.5 percent of the vote.

The policy, set to take effect at the start of the 2011-2012 school year, outlines a conservative list of appropriate dress for students. Opponents of the policy charge it would be costly for cash-strapped families and that it would stifle student expression, and some asserted it could cost incumbents votes.

Gary Haynes, making his third run at the school board, finished with nearly 15 percent of the votes. He has said the dress code was all the talk in Scott City leading up to the election. Haynes believes the board rushed into the code vote without having all of the information from parents and taxpayers and that he would have liked to have seen a more deliberative process.

In other area school board races:

The Meadow Heights School District featured a crowded field of seven candidates running for three open seats. Dalton Denman received the highest vote count, with 191, 20.5 percent. Beverly Welker tallied 172 votes (18.5 percent), and Keith Yount, 154 votes (16.5 percent).

In Oak Ridge, Scott Hahs was elected with the top vote count of 300 votes, or 31 percent, followed by Linda R. Schoen, with 279 votes (29 percent), and Thomas J. Schreiner, 203 votes (21 percent).

In the Delta School District, Kenneth R. Cook, received the most votes, with 177, 31 percent of the ballots cast. Other winners were Scott A. Bond, with 163 votes (29 percent), and Troy A. Smith, 141 votes (25 percent).

In the Oran School District, Wesley L. Jones Jr. picked up 215 votes, the most of any of the candidates, earning 26 percent of the vote. The other two winners were Vance Todt, with 181 votes (22 percent), and Judi Henson, 173 votes (21 percent).

Scott County Central School District's top vote-getter was Michael Blissett, with 145 votes, or 27 percent of the vote. Other's elected were, W. Ray Shoaf, 123 votes (23 percent), Tony Lackey, 96 votes (18 percent).

In the Perry County School District, Jeff Weibrecht received the most votes, with 891, or 22 percent. Scott J. Hotop finished second, with 824 votes (20 percent). Also earning a spot on the board, G. Scott Cooper, with 718 votes (18 percent).

Advance School District voters returned their incumbents, with Ronnie Martin the top vote-getter, at 385 votes, followed by Harold Miles, with 382, and Ronnie L. McAtee, 230.

In the Woodland School District, five candidates vied for three open spots on the school board. Kenny Rhodes, Harley Eddleman Jr. and Danny Vangennip won with the most votes. Rhodes had 223, for a total of 29.8 percent. VanGennip was second with 186 votes and Eddleman third with 165.

mkittle@semissourian.com

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