SCHOOL BOARD RACES ON TAP

A flurry of late candidate filings resulted in a full slate of candidates for most Board of Education races in the region.

Candidates were required to file before 5 p.m. Tuesday for April 4 school board elections. Most school districts have two, three-year terms available, but Nell Holcomb and Perryville school districts also will fill special one-year terms.

Several districts had few or no candidates late last week, but by the close of business Tuesday had a field of candidates.

Charleston School District went from no candidates to four in less than a week. Incumbent Dr. Ron Peterson and challengers David Manker, Brenda F. Riggens and Jeffrey E. Stack will compete for two, three-year terms.

Kelso C-7 School District also had no candidates last week. Incumbent Robin Burger and Patrick O'Brien were the only candidates to file for available positions.

Zalma School District also will lack a true competition in April. Incumbents Steve Dickinson and Dale Fish were the only candidates to file for the election.

Bollinger County voters will see two unique competitions. In Leopold, four of six candidates for election are women, although school boards in the region are predominantly filled by males.

In Woodland, two brothers round out a field of five candidates for the Board of Education. Doug and Dan Lindley will vie against incumbent Bill Rhodes and challengers Jim Gray and Dale for two school board seats.

SCHOOL ISSUES ON THE BALLOT

The following school issues will be considered by voters in upcoming elections:

Cape Girardeau:

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education will consider a resolution Monday that would seek voter approval on April 4 of a no-tax increase, $18 million bond issue for construction and equipping of a new high school.

Jackson:

Voters will consider two resolutions for Jackson School District on April 4.

*One resolution seeks voter approval of an $11 million bond issue to fund construction and equipping of a new elementary school, an addition and renovations to R.O. Hawkins Junior High, and some technology needs of the district. The measure would mean a 15-cent increase in the debt service levy to 61 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

*A second resolution seeks full elimination of the Proposition C rollback to increase the school operating tax levy by 40 cents to $3.15 per $100 assessed valuation to cover additional operating expenses.

Delta:

Delta voters will be asked on April 4 to approve a full waiver of the Proposition C rollback to increase the operating tax ceiling from $2.75 to about $3.20 cents per $100 assessed valuation. No immediate tax increase is planned. Exact information regarding this issue was unavailable.

Perryville:

Three proposals will be considered for Perry County School District 32 on April 4.

*Proposition Y

Full elimination of the Proposition C rollback to increase the school tax levy ceiling of the district to $3.25 per $100 assessed valuation to meet the additional operating needs of the district.

*Proposition E

Establish a capital project's fund tax levy of 4 cents per $100 assessed valuation to partially fund continuing building maintenance and other capital projects needs.

*Proposition S

Approval of a $5.3 million bond issue for the acquisition, constructing, equipping, furnishing and betterment of school facilities, including, without limitation, the construction and equipping of a new upper elementary school and to complete other remodeling and repair improvements.

Chaffee:

Voters will consider a 44-cent increase in the operating tax levy to $3.25 per $100 assessed valuation to meet operational costs in an election Feb. 8.

SCHOOL BOARD FILINGS

Area Board of Education seats up for election April 4:

Cape Girardeau

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Dr. Bob Fox and David Goncher

FILED: Goncher, Fox, Martha Zlockovich

Jackson

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Jack Knowlan, Tom Ludwig

FILED: Mark Baker, Dennis Wayne Sievers, Tom Ludwig, Mach Illers, Brent Wills.

Nell Holcomb

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Dwayne Kirchoff, Charlie Roberts

Last year of a three-year term vacated by Debra Followell earlier this year.

FILED: Kirchoff, Charles Roberts, Kim McLard.

Special term: Daryl McNeely

Oak Ridge

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Stephen Schonhoff (board president), Richard Baer

FILED: Darrell G. Hahs, Stephen J. Schonhoff

Delta

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Herbert L. Blattel Jr., John Livingston

FILED: Livingston, Blattel, Diana Horn, James R. Bowers

Scott City

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Nancy Caldwell, Rick Sample

FILED: Ronald W. Gray, Scott C. Amick, Nancy Caldwell, Randy Morse

Chaffee

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Danny Finley, Alvin Vandeven

FILED: Vandeven, Finley, Jeannie Tankersly-Groves, Donna M. Cannon, Ronald Eifert Jr.

Oran

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Tom Urhahn, Rosalia Friga

FILED: Urhahn, Friga, Carla Graviett

Kelso C-7

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Robin Burger, Randy Kern

FILED: Burger, Patrick O'Brien

Kelly

Two three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Scott Sander, Tom Beardslee

FILED: Jim Simmons, John Felter, Laurie Romas, Scott Sander

Charleston

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Dr. Ron Peterson, Bill Branum

FILED: Peterson, David Manker, Brenda F. Riggens, Jeffrey E. Stack

East Prairie

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Ricky Penrod, Martin Lucas

FILED: Kevin Hess, Ronnie Wallace, Penrod, Dennis Bennett, Lucas.

Meadow Heights

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Greg Ellis, Terry Propst

FILED: Ellis, Propst, Mike Reagan.

Leopold

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Joe Bohnsack, Gary Vandeven

FILED: Pam Horrell, Karen James, Roberta Jansen, Mary Ambrose Jansen, Bohnsack and Vandeven.

Woodland

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Bill Rhodes, Steve Upchurch

FILED: Doug Lindley, Dan Lindley, Dale Chronister, Rhodes, Jim Gray.

Zalma

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Steve Dickinson, Dale Fish

FILED: Dickinson, Fish

Perryville

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Dennis Martin (president), Tom Wesole

A special one-year term currently held by Jim Bauwens also will be decided.

FILED: Jim Martin, Bauwens, Dennis Martin

1-year term: Wesolek

Altenburg

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Gary Sacks, Mary Hunt

FILED: Gary Sacks, Mary Hunt, Rhonda France

Advance

Two, three-year terms

INCUMBENTS: Ron Cantrell, Tony Jenkins

FILED: Cantrell, Jenkins, Scott Markham, Kevin Hawkins, Mark Richmond