INCUMBENTS, NEWCOMER WIN SCHOOL BOARD SEATS

Steven Wright, a first-time candidate who had refused to support the Cape Girardeau School District's defeated $25 million bond issue proposal, was elected to the Board of Education Tuesday along with two incumbents who favored the measure.

With 5,236 votes (24.9 percent), Wright received the second-highest total of the four candidates, trailing incumbent Kathy Swan's 6,033 votes (28.6 percent).

Finishing third was John Campbell, who was re-elected to his second three-year term on the board with 5,159 votes (24.5 percent). Jack Sterrett, another first-time candidate, was fourth with 4,499 votes (21.3 percent).

The top three finishers won seats on the board. The Cape Girardeau board, along with boards throughout the state, increased to seven members this year.

Swan, president of a communications company, was elected to the school board one year ago to fill an unexpired term. She had promised voters she would continue to pursue developing school-business partnerships and broadening the schools' health-issues curriculum.

Swan said her elation at winning by such a large margin was undercut by the defeat of the school bond issue. "I'm sold on the need for it," she said. "I was hoping this was one step toward the future. Now there is another step and this is another hurdle we have to overcome."

Wright, a bank vice president, remained undecided about whether to support the school bond issue throughout the campaign. He thinks that position was partly responsible for his victory.

"I think it was me stating I had questions that were unanswered. I think a lot of voters had some of the questions I had," he said.

"Twenty-five million dollars was a little bit much to ask for," said Wright, who called for the district to "go a little bit at a time."

Campbell, a certified public accountant, was first elected to the board in 1990. He said he wanted to finish the job he was elected to do.

During his term, the board has fired and hired a superintendent, and last year cut the schools' budget by $1.2 million.

Campbell could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Sterrett, an associate professor of marketing at Southeast Missouri State University, was a staunch supporter of the school bonds. He said he is sure that position cost him some votes.

Sterrett said he remains concerned about the future of Cape Girardeau's schools. "I wish the very best to our school board," he said. "But what we found out is the community is non-supportive."