MPR: New Faces on School Boards

New Faces on School Boards
By Tim Pugmire
November 3, 1999
Part of MPR Online's Campaign '99 coverage

203 of the state's 344 public school districts held elections Tuesday for school board seats, bond issues or tax levies. Voters made changes to the school boards in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. And the state's third largest school district approved a huge bond issue for more school space.

CHANGES WERE ASSURED on the Minneapolis school board. Four seats were up for grabs and only one incumbent, Judy Farmer, was seeking re-election. Farmer was the top vote getter among the eight candidates. She'll be joined on the board by fellow DFLers Albert Gallmon, Catherine Shreves and Audrey Johnson. Farmer says she looks forward to working with her new board colleagues.

Farmer: The other three people who were elected are also very supportive of the direction the school district is going. So I don't see any major shifts in direction. I think that there will be support for what we're doing and some additional perspectives and ideas for how to do it better.

Four school board seats were on the ballot in Saint Paul and all four incumbents were seeking re-election. But challenger Anne Carroll was the top vote getter. She says she stressed the need for more people to have a voice in how Saint Paul schools operate.

Carroll: To me it sends a message back to the district and the board and the schools that community is important, teachers input is important, parents input is important student input is important and that if we all put our heads together we really can have a world-class school district.

Incumbent DFLer Neal Thao, Republican Tom Conlon and DFLer Al Ortwig won re-election to the Saint Paul school board. Ortwig edged out incumbent DFLer Greg Filice for the fourth and final board seat.

In the northwest suburban Anoka-Hennepin district, the state's third largest, voters approved a $106 million bond issue to build a new high school, middle school and two elementary schools. They also approved a $6-million-a-year levy to operate school buildings for the next 10 years. School Board Chairman Mike Sullivan says voters clearly understand the space shortage in their schools.

Sullivan: I think primary the recognition out here in the district, and it was probably oriented toward the high schools as much as anything, that they were just packed to the roofs and the rafters. I don't think there was any question in voters' minds about that.

Chaska voters approved a $42.6 million bond issue for a new middle and elementary school, land and improvement to existing schools. They also approved an $887,000-per-year levy for the next 10 years.

Many metro area districts were seeking approval or renewal of additional tax levies to cover operational costs. Hopkins, Spring Lake Park and Westonka were among the winners. Levy questions were rejected in White Bear Lake and Inver Grove Heights.

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