Published: February 26, 2009 09:25 pm      

Newcomers to win in Jamaica

Candidates run for school board seats

SIDELL — Vermillion County voters will usher in a new selection of decision makers on the educational front April 7 as school board seats are to be filled by both newcomers and veteran board members.

School funding remains a key issue for all schools countywide. Budgets are harder to balance with dwindling revenues and finding additional funding sources to pay for extra or even customary services for students is becoming increasingly difficult.

Yet, student testing performance standards continue to accelerate, putting more pressure on staff, administrators and board members to find ways to provide excellent education to county children, but at a bargain price.

Jamaica Superintendent Mark Janesky will welcome four new members to the district’s school board this spring. Janesky said state funding is the biggest concern for his district that educates about 450 students all housed under one roof.

“We’re doing everything we can to keep our head above water,” said Janesky.

Current board members not seeking re-election to the Jamaica School Board include Britta Maddox, Kevin Bodine, Kim Catlett and Tim Prunkard. Returning board members who are not up for re-election this cycle include President Ron Metzger, Steve Bainbridge and Russ Puzey.

The four open seats are being sought after by six newcomers from four different areas of the township that serves students from Fairmount, Sidell, Indianola and Jamaica.

Candidates Mike Bergmeier, J. Douglas Carder, Troy Chew, Jeff Carder, Mike Cox and Kary K. “Twink” Morrison all seek to be elected to the board.

Janesky said the board is looking at a life-safety bond issue to help pay for boiler and parking lot repairs at the school. Even with more than half of the school board turning over this spring, Janesky was positive about the upcoming transition.

“I think everything will go fine,” said Janesky.

Other contested county school board races include (all four-year terms):

-- Bismarck-Henning, vote for four — Larry McConkey, Perry A. Jaynes, Dave E. Brown, Stephen C. Lane and Daniel Nobbe.

-- Hoopeston Area, vote for two, Grant Township — Lawrence B. Jahn and Stephen P. Highfill; vote for two, remainder of township — Lisa M. Leigh, Sara Jane Johnson and Russell Walder.

-- Rossville-Alvin, vote for 1, in-town congressional district — Jason Miller, Angela Rome, John D. Petersen and Tim Walsh; vote for 3, rural congressional district — James Weston.

Candidates running uncontested for school boards:

-- Armstrong-Ellis Grade School, two-year term —David P. Miles and James Edenburn; four-year term — Tracy A. Sollars, Bill Lance and Robert Scott Sprague

-- Armstrong High School, four-year term — Jaci Davis, Gordon Hedrick, Mike Babb and Detina Abbott.

-- Catlin, four-year term — Tricia R. Keith, Perry W. Dable, Brent Bowman and Michael Shane Meade.

-- Georgetown-Ridge Farm, four-year term, vote for three — Lisa Coburn and Carla J. Pollman.

-- Oakwood, four-year term —Greg Wolfe, Michael Wombles and Teresa Cronk.

-- Potomac, four-year term — Douglas Keen, Roy “Jim” Hunt, Vance Hambleton and Kristi A. Hawker.

-- Westville, four-year term — Shawn D. Bennett, David Parker and Janet A. Ragle