SIKESTON -- Voters will have to make some tough decisions during the April 4 election as most local school board candidates are contested this year.
Current Sikeston R-6 Board of Education president Ann Jones and vice president Julie Crader Dolan will be challenged by Scott Crumpecker in the upcoming election. Voters will pick two of the three candidates for three-year terms.
Incumbent Steve Pobst along with Lisa Lewis, Mary (Moore) Glasper, Jim O'Neal, Randy Conn and Eric Kesler will vie for the two available positions on the Scott County Central school board. Incumbent Randy Grant decided not to seek re-election.
Three people are vying for the two positions in the Charleston R-1 School District. Incumbent Alberta Redd and two other candidates, Lorraine Stallings and Tammy Brown, filed for election. Incumbent Dr. Ron Peterson chose not to run for office.
Voters in East Prairie R-2 District will pick two of the following three candidates for its school board -- incumbent Ricky Penrod, Cory Cates and Steve Ellis. The other incumbent Martin Lucas didn't seek re-election.
Voters in East Prairie will also decide on a $2.75 million "no tax increase" bond issue. "It will run as a no tax increase, extending the current taxes we have," said East Prairie R-2 Superintendent Scott Downing.
The funds will be used to renovate roofs at the high school, install an air conditioning unit in the gym, replace all heating and air at the high school, replace doors and windows, and it will be used for other construction upgrades, Downing said.
Downing noted $1.5 million of the $2.75 million is "Q-ZAB" (Qualified Zone Academy Bonds), which means it's interest-free.
"If passed, it would save taxpayers over $700,000 over a 15-year period," Downing said.
Oran R-3 voters will also decide on a bond issue in April. The school board placed a $2.5 million bond issue on the ballot for purpose of constructing a new elementary and multi-purpose building and renovating existing buildings, superintendent Mitch Wood said.
Four people are vying for two spots on the Oran school board. They are incumbent Carla Graviett and other candidates Eric Michelsen, Marty Priggel and Patrick Young. Incumbent Marvin Glueck didn't refile.
No election will be needed for the New Madrid County R-1 School District as incumbent Ralph E. Barnwell Jr. and Jonathan Maloyed filed for the two vacant spots on the school board. Incumbent Jean Higgerson opted not to seek re-
election.
An election isn't needed in the Kelly R-4 School District either as incumbent Mitch Sanders chose not to seek re-election. Running unopposed are incumbent Jimmy Simmons and Jennifer Gadberry.
In the Kelso C-7 School District in New Hamburg, incumbents Patrick O' Brien and Dayneen Glastetter are also running without opposition.
At Portageville, positions held by Dr. David Boyd and Ronnie Adams are up for grabs. Adams refiled in addition to Donney Benthal Jr. and Lee Ann Wallace. Boyd opted not to file.
Incumbents Bill McCain and Joe Woolverton have refiled for election in Gideon 37 and will be challenged by Cindy Parker, Claude Owens, Shane Marcus, Larry Boone and Tim Stanfield.
There are two spots available on the Risco R-2 Board of Education. Incumbents Curt Patterson and Clayton Knight filed along with Sonya Landers and Eddie Earnhart.