COUNTY COMMISSION TO NAME THREE CAPE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS

After two weeks dedicated to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education, county commissioners today will appoint three members to the board and return to their job of governing the county.

The new members will be named at an 11 a.m. news conference today at the County Administrative Building, 1 Barton Square, in Jackson. The three will be sworn in at a special school board meeting Friday at noon at the Board of Education conference room, 61 N. Clark, in Cape Girardeau.

Commissioners got the job of appointing school board members under a rarely used state law. When more than two vacancies exist on the board, the commission makes appointments. In the wake of months of controversy, three board members resigned within a week of each other.

Thirty-one people stepped forward and offered to serve. The commissioners have said their task is tough because they have so many qualified candidates to choose from.

The three chosen will serve until the April 1996 board election. Four board members will be elected at that time.

On Tuesday, commissioners spent five hours listening to and questioning 23 of the 31 candidates. Attending an interview wasn't required for selection, the commissioners said. They also said it isn't their job to balance the board in terms of gender, race, or city geography.

Hopefuls are David Goncher, Jenny Strickland, David Rosener, Jaynee Browning, Harold Hager, Al Pannier, Brenda Dohogne, Richard Rolfing, Ruth Ann Simon, Wilfred Hoelscher, Bob Komerech, Dr. C. John Ritter, Steve Robertson, Robert Blank, Pamela Sheets Spradling, Calvin Chapman, Jacqueline Sessoms, Louis Haynes, Marie Walker, Janet Rueseler, Charles Herbst III, Shaunna McGhie, Morris Osburn, Dr. James Fletcher Jr., Debra Ann Tracy, Sheldon Tyler and John Jenkins, Harry Rediger, Howard Tooke, Cleo Mabrey and Jim Limbaugh.