SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: SCHOOL VOTERS FACE ISSUE, CANDIDATE RACES

ANNA, Ill. -- Southern Illinois voters will go to the polls Nov. 5 to elect new school board members in school districts throughout the area.

In addition, voters at Dongola are being asked to approve a property tax referendum that would provide the Dongola district $50,000 in additional annual revenue for operating funds, without raising local taxes.

Although it will be a new tax, it will replace an existing school levy so Dongola school district residents won't be seeing any increase in their taxes. Dongola school officials said that's because the district will pay off its bonded indebtedness for high school construction and other projects by the first of the year. The retirement of the 20-year bonds gives the district an opportunity to bolster its building and education funds at no additional cost to taxpayers.

The added $50,000 a year in operating funds revenue would probably keep the district from having to borrow in the future, school officials said.

In a non-school election, Cypress, Ill., voters will vote on forming a fire protection district, to be known as Cypress Creek Fire District.

School board elections are scheduled throughout the area, including Dongola, Anna-Jonesboro, Shawnee, Cobden, Goreville, Century, Cairo, Meridian and Egyptian.

Only one incumbent Dare Aden is on the list of seven candidates for three positions on the Dongola school board. Others seeking the four-year seats are Craig Foster, Fred Terbrak Jr., Rick George, Henry W. Mendoza, Eddie J. Goins, and Gregory A. Wasuleski.

Two incumbents are among the seven candidates for the Anna-Jonesboro school board. The incumbents are Ron Garner and Barbara Diefenbach Throgmorton. Other candidates are James C. Clark, Ronnie L. Mays Sr., Robert Weilmuenster, Dean Corbit, and Michael Young.

Eight candidates, including incumbents Patsy J. Salmon and Charles E. Althoff, are vying for three, four-year seats at Cairo. Other candidates include Marlene Schultz, Arnold Burris Sr., Tyrone Coleman, William (Bill) Harrell, William H. Miller, and Brenda Mae Gooden.

Three incumbents are among the four school board candidates for three, four-year terms at Shawnee High School, near Wolf Lake, Ill. Rodney D. Brown is the lone challenger. Incumbents are Charles L. Curtis, Alan Otten, and Gerald Franklin. Mitchel McLane, who was appointed to a two-year unexpired term, will be the only candidate to fill that position.

Only one incumbent, J. D. Aldridge, is on the list of six candidates for the Cobden school board. Other candidates are Maribeth Inman Smith, Leo Driscoll, Will Travelstead, Steven Sitton, and Margaret Simonds.

Candidates at Meridian, near Mounds, include four incumbents Paul Helman, Laverna Thomas, Max Russell and James George. Also running is Michael Phifer. Voters will elect four candidates to the board.

Three incumbents, Larry Lamburth, James M. Nelson and Edward Shafer, are running for re-election to the Egyptian school board at Tamms. Other candidates are R. Dennis Abercrombie and Mike McCrite. Four positions will be filled in the election.

Only four candidates are vying for the four positions at Goreville. They are Thomas C. Hunt, Susan Edgar, Jay Franklin and Kenneth R. Robison.

There are only three candidates for three positions at Century High School, near Ullin. All are incumbents. They are Michael Ulen, Randy Cain and R. Brent Anderson.

In another school election, three candidates Robert Cross, Joseph J. Neely and Steve Heisner are seeking election to the board of the Shawnee Community College near Ullin.