Several file for local school board seats
Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/67192/
Two people have filed to run for the open at-large Fayetteville Board of Education seat to succeed John Delap.
As of 4 p. m. Tuesday, Jeanie Hill and Joe Lee had filed for at-large position 1, which Delap resigned from effective July 1 to go back to teaching at Fayetteville High School. Whoever is elected will fulfill the remaining three years on the unexpired term.
Hill was a candidate in the 2006 race but lost to Delap in a runoff election.
The Board of Education appointed Conrad Odom on Tuesday to fill the vacant seat until the Sept. 16 board elections.
Incumbent Susan Heil has filed for Fayetteville’s second at-large position. She is the only candidate so far to file for at-large position 2.
In Elkins, Carol Heymsfield has filed for re-election to her position, the only one open this year on the Elkins Board of Education.
Jerry Coyle and Lanny Rice have filed for election to the Prairie Grove Board of Education position being vacated by Steve Bartholomew. Rice was a former agriculture and vocational education teacher who was a critic of former Superintendent Pete Bennett, who left the district in June after a public outcry over his handling of personnel matters.
In Springdale, Jeffrey A. Williams has filed for at-large position 2, and incumbent David Van Bebber has filed for the Zone 2 position.
In West Fork, Mark Findahl has filed for election to a seat being held by Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder, who is leaving after 15 years on the board.
No candidates have filed yet for positions in Lincoln or Farmington. To file, a candidate must present a petition to the county clerk’s office with 20 signatures from area voters.
It remains to be determined whether an election will occur for the Zone 5 seat on the Greenland Board of Education because the Arkansas State Board of Education voted to take over the district Monday due to financial problems it is experiencing. The clerk’s office has not yet received any notification from the state to call off the election because of the pending takeover.
The Arkansas Department of Education plans to appoint its own administrator to run the district and dismiss the school board.