JACKSON BOARD CANDIDATES DEBATE ISSUES

JACKSON -- Flickering lights and downpours of rain didn't keep Jackson Board of Education candidates from debating issues Tuesday night in preparation for the April 7 school board elections.

Connie Wilson, Kay Hendrix, Jeanette Bollinger, Chris Weiss, Charla Myers and Gerald Adams all answered questions regarding safety, transportation, health care, district growth, short- and long-term goals and other issues in Jackson schools. Rhonda McClanahan was unable to attend the event because of a scheduling conflict.

Two of the seven candidates will be elected to fill three-year positions held by Bollinger and Marvin Adams.

The debate, held in the Jackson Middle School library, was sponsored by the American Business Women's Association Jacksonian Charter Chapter.

"We do this because education is one of our main focuses," said forum organizer Terri Tomlin. "This provides information to the voters and gives them a chance to meet the candidates."

The 25 people who attended the forum learned that candidates were basically in agreement about the district's top priority: long-term planning for growth.

"With all of the growth we've experienced, we need to really spend our educational dollars wisely," said Adams, a press operator for M & W Printing. "These are changing times economically, and I think my experiences as a farmer and former businessman will help guide us through those times."

Bollinger, the only incumbent seeking re-election, said vocational training also is an important issue in the district. The school board has worked very hard to improve the district's technology and academic resources, but vocational training is still needed to ensure the students are trained to enter the job market, she said.

Hendrix, a high school teacher in Scott City; Myers, an outreach coordinator for child development at Southeast Missouri State University; and Wilson, a housewife who works as a substitute teacher in neighboring districts, said their reasons for seeking a school board seat were to add diversity to the board.

"I think a strong school board is a diverse school board," said Myers. "People have different backgrounds with different strengths and that's what has helped our district perform so well in the past."

Weiss, a lawyer, didn't see any prevailing topic in the district. His motivation for seeking a seat on the school board was to continue the "good work of past board members."

"Right now in Jackson everything seems to be going good, and the reason for that is the school board has been doing a good job," he said. "Jackson has a fantastic school district and that didn't happen by accident. It took a lot of hard work, and I want to add to what's already been accomplished."