Changes Likely on Area School Ballots, Park Board

Print

Published on December 20 2016 3:43 pm
Last Updated on December 20 2016 4:13 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Changes are likely on school boards in Effingham County. 

The filing period ended Monday, and many incumbents have chosen not to seek re-election.

That includes the Effingham Unit 40 school district, where none of the three incumbents filed for a new term.

The terms to be filled in Unit 40 are now held by Brian Wick, Steve Bone and Chris Koester. Wick has been on the Board for more than 20 years, Bone is wrapping up his first term, and Koester was just appointed earlier this year when Laurie Borrelli moved out of the district.

Three people filed in the race; Patricia Russell, Angela Byers and Kathleen Smith. Russell and Smith ran in the previous school board election; Byers is a newcomer, but is a former Unit 40 employee.

Only one of the three incumbents in the Teutopolis Unit 50 district is seeking re-election; Troy Ozenkoski. The other incumbents, Daniel Burke and Carl Repking, did not file for another term. Two others filed, Courtney Tegeler and Leon Gobczynski. 

In Altamont Unit 10, there is no shortage of candidates. Three people filed for a two-year unexpired term, Adam Huston, Kerry Wolff and Alan Kollman. Tammy Runge, who was appointed to serve until this election, did not file to serve out the unexpired term. In the contest for three four-year terms, Huston also filed, as did Alan Shumaker, Clint Reardon, Laura Reardon, Ross Cornett and Darren Feldkamp. Feldkamp is an incumbent, but the other two incumbents, Rodney Schultz and James Holland, did not file for another term.

Huston will have to decide whether to run for the two-year term or the four-year term. It's worth noting that the two-year term would take precedence, according to state election law.

In the other two county school districts, the problem is not enough candidates. 

In Dieterich Unit 30, incumbents Diane Aherin and Charity Bohnhoff filed for another term, but that's it. There is one other seat to be filled, that now held by Mike Winters, who did not file for another term.

In Beecher City Unit 20, one person, incumbent Darren Doty, filed for another term. There are no other candidates for the three seats up for grabs. The other two incumbents, Jeff Kline and Glenna Gordon, did not file for another term.

People still have the option to run as write-in candidates. If a seat remain empty after the election due to a lack of candidates, the school board will appoint someone to the office.

The filing period also ended Monday for Lake Land College Board of Trustees. 

All three incumbent trustees, Bob Luther, Mike Sullivan and Doris Reynolds, all of Mattoon, each filed for another term, as did Matt Forcum of Mode.

The filing period also concluded Monday for Effingham Park Board.

There are two six-year terms to be filled; those are now held by David McDevitt and Russ Sehy.

Sehy filed for another term, but McDevitt has decided against seeking re-election after more than 20 years on the Board. McDevitt was a driving force in getting the Workman Sports and Wellness Center completed; a goal before he left office. Newcomer Jason Semple joins Sehy as the only two candidates for the two seats to be filled.

The election is set for Tuesday, April 4, 2017.