Spencer voters elect three new board members

Bob Whittenburg

Incumbent David Schlichtemeier, who currently serves as the Spencer school board president, tallied 560 votes in the contested race, which wasn't enough to be re-elected.

The election also netted single write-in votes cast for Mary Jean Montgomery, Randy Cauthron, Tom Wakefield, Phil Christy, Laurie Pearson, Dennis Nagel, Rick A. Johnson, Jill Meyer, Scott Finnern, Jack Dodson, outgoing board members Ed Ver Steeg and Barb Van Wyk. Former Spencer Superintendent Joe Graff also earned two write-in votes.

While three of the four Spencer candidates watched election results stream in via the Internet in their homes, Whittenburg, the race's largest vote-getter, reported that he was notified of his win by friend Steve Bomgaars, whose wife has served as a Spencer school board member the last year. Shortly after receiving the call from Bomgaars, Zinn, a fellow Spencer school board race winner, called to congratulate both Whittenburg and Mechler, relaying that he looks forward to working with both of them.

Bill Zinn

"I think it was a good campaign. Everybody had the best of intentions and worked hard at it. I think that's reflected in the turnout for the vote," Whittenburg said. " ... I thank David (Schlichtemeier) for his service on the board and I look forward to working with Dean, Bill, Marti (Bomgaars), Todd (Korbitz) and (Superintendent) Mr. (Greg) Ebeling."

While the top vote-getter in Spencer's election race said "to listen and to learn" ranks first on his agenda as a new board member, Whittenburg added, "I'm glad and humbled to have been able to get a seat. But I also recognize that it's a responsibility to take seriously and put a lot of effort into. I know it's important to a lot of people. So, I'll take it seriously and respectfully. I look forward to the opportunities that lay in the future working with the board, the school, students, parents and other people in the community."

Whittenburg, who voted by absentee ballot, thanked the 996 local residents who cast votes in Tuesday's election.

"I'd encourage them to keep up that support and interest," he also encouraged, "and find ways to help us meet the challenges, and to also fulfill all the opportunities that exist in and through our school."

Dean Mechler

Zinn, the race's next highest vote earner with 698 ballots cast for him, said, "I was excited to see the turnout. I was also excited to see that it was pretty even across the board. That says a lot for the four candidates."

The 1970 Spencer High School graduate continued, "I see those shirts that say, 'I bleed purple and gold.' And, yes, I do. It's very near and dear to my heart. I'm really excited to be a part of the board that, hopefully, will get the school going and keep it going in the right direction."

The newly-elected board member added, "First on my agenda is getting not only my feet wet, but my whole body wet. I think we need to really get into what's going on quickly. ... There are a lot of things going on that I've had a lot of people contact me about already."

Besides the draft religious liberty policy being discussed locally, Zinn said he's heard residents' concerns articulated about board members watching what is cut districtwide.

"A lot of parents are concerned with the size of the classes their kids are in," Zinn said. "While overall I think we'll be OK, those are some issues that we have to work on."

While Zinn thanked outgoing board members Van Wyk, Ver Steeg and Schlichtemeier for their time spent on the board, he chose to look toward the future following Tuesday's unofficial election results being released.

"There are a lot of things we need to get some things changed on. I look forward to working with Dean, Bob and also Todd and Marti. It should be a good experience for all of us," Zinn forecast. "The one nice thing is this is a four-year position, and as a (Spencer school board member), you're not out there constantly running for office. This is a volunteer-type thing. When you think about it, nobody's getting paid. And, it's not political. I think that's what has to be in the back of everybody's mind -- that this is a very important group of people that get together to decide the education system. I'm looking forward to being a part of that."

Mechler, a three-year Spencer school board member who lost a re-election bid in September 2008, was proclaimed victorious again Tuesday night.

"I want to congratulate both Bob and Bill. It was a close campaign, top to bottom. Actually, when you look at the results, there were a few more votes than last year," Mechler said from his home election night. "I also want to thank Dave for his six years of service. Dave is very passionate about education and I'm going to miss that, frankly."

"Organizing the new board to try to look at what it can do to influence improving education in the Spencer Community School system" ranks first on his agenda as a returning board member.

"That's a pretty open-ended agenda. I understand that," Mechler said. "But we have two new board members and 40 percent of the board is going to be brand new. Even with my experience and the experience of the other two board members, we have limited experience on the board. So, there is a learning curve that has to take place. And, we've got to get on the same page. That may take a little bit of time."

Schlichtemeier, meanwhile, also congratulated the election's three winners.

"I really do wish them the best of luck and really hope that academic excellence will be the theme going forward," he said.

"Part of me is relieved that I can go home and get started on those projects that I left six years ago," Schlichtemeier added. "The rest of me is hoping that some of those initiatives that we started don't die on the vine."

Spencer's proposed religious liberty policy, which was initially co-authored by Schlichtemeier and fellow outgoing board member Van Wyk, is one of the initiatives he hopes doesn't "die on the vine." Tuesday night's three winners each offered their perspective on the policy, which will be discussed by members of the public tonight at 7 p.m.

"I think we need to finish that process," Mechler said. "It's come so far and it needs to be investigated and worked with to see if we can't build some kind of consensus on the board to at least allow people to understand what their liberties are. Then, we'll see where it goes."

Whittenburg and Zinn, meanwhile, announced their intentions to attend tonight's public input session on the second draft policy, which was rewritten by Spencer's superintendent.

"I'm just going to listen and learn," Whittenburg said. "I have no agenda on that other than to see what the reasons are for it, to hear what people in the community's suggestions and feelings about it are, and to take a hard look at it and listen to the reasons for it. I need more information on what all the benefits, and perhaps different scenarios that would result from having such a policy, (would be)."

Zinn, on the other hand, referred to the concerns he's heard from community residents about the proposed policy.

"When you start making policies, you really want to make them pointed," he said. "Because you don't want any gray areas when you have a policy because then you're opening up cans of worms. So, No. 1, I think you need to really understand what the policy is that they're trying to achieve. And, No. 2, is it something we really want to delve into as far as the school district? So, yes, I do think there are some issues with this policy."

In other area district elections:

* Incumbents Barry Fischer and Susan Sikora will be joined on the Ruthven-Ayrshire school board by new member Tammy Chapman. While Fischer tallied 56 votes, Chapman earned 54 and Sikora garnered 52 votes in Tuesday's election. Of Ruthven-Ayrshire's 1,112 total registered voters, 60, or 5.3 percent, cast ballots.

* Ruthven-Ayrshire residents also voted affirmatively for a 67-cent per $1,000 dollars of assessed valuation Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL). In this public measure question, 50 individuals cast yes votes and eight people cast no votes.

* Of the 34 votes cast Tuesday in the South Clay school board race, incumbent Joe Hoffman earned 33 votes and incumbent write-in candidate Don Salton amassed 39. Of South Clay's 742 total registered voters, 34, or 4.5 percent, cast ballots.

* Of the 175 votes cast in the election of three Clay Central-Everly school board members, incumbent David Saboe tallied 140 votes for the district's fourth director position and Scott Rinehart earned 155 votes for CCE's fifth district director position. Tony Seivert, a write-in candidate who resides at 408 E. First St., Everly, defeated fellow write-in candidate Sheryl Kahl, of 108 N. Main St., Everly, 94 - 48 for the CCE district's second director board seat currently held by Brad Phelps. Of CCE's 1,777 total registered voters, 175, or 9.8 percent, cast ballots.