Many boards of education welcome newcomers

11/9/2005
BY JANET ROMAKER
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Based on unofficial returns from Fulton County, Swanton Local School District voters elected three new board members yesterday as incumbent Mike Remer lost his bid for re-election.

Elected were Dennis Heban, Jeff Michael, and Michael Wiederman. Opening lines of communication and rebuilding the community's confidence in the Swanton school system were goals outlined by the candidates.

Incumbents Mark Secory and Doug Lee did not seek re-election. The district overlaps into Lucas County, but totals from that county were unavailable early this morning.

In the Archbold district in Fulton County, incumbent Cheryl Storrer retained her seat on the board, and she will be joined by new board members Roel Galvan and Janet Wyse.

Also in Fulton County, in the Gorham Fayette district, incumbent Paula Schaffner retained her seat, but incumbent Fred Stockburger failed in his bid for re-election. John Kim Winzeler was elected to the Gorham Fayette board.

With 10 of 11 precincts reporting in Eastwood's hotly challenged race for three seats on the board of education, incumbent Denis Helm and challengers Roger Bostdorff and Randall Cajka were leading the pack of nine candidates. The other candidates were Patti Himburg, Greg Pierce, Lewis Renollet, John Schulte, Mark Schulte, and Tim Shank.

In other other area contested races for seats on boards of education, partial, unofficial results showed that:

w●With 14.3 percent of precincts reporting in the Sylvania district, board of education members George Gernot III, Pam Haynam, and Dave Spiess were leading challengers Don Miller and David Walker for three seats.

w●With six of 11 precincts reporting in the Lake Local school district, incumbents Margene Akenberger and Ted Hubler were leading along with Timothy Krugh who was appointed to his seat this year. Candidate Ken Smith narrowly trailed.

w●With 12 of 15 precincts reporting in the Rossford district, incumbent Joseph Minarcin and challenger Diane McKinney were leading candidates incumbent Richard Hotz; Dawn Burks, who was appointed to the school board in August, and challengers Jacqueline Brown and Keith Heidebrink.

w●In the Perrysburg district with 18 of 23 precincts reporting, incumbents Gretchen Downs and Mark Schoenlein, and challenger Valerie Hovland were ahead of incumbent Ken Widdel.

w●In Lucas County, as of 11 p.m. yesterday with only 7 percent of precincts reporting in the Oregon school board race for three seats, incumbent Ray Walendzak was out in front of the other three candidates, incumbent Betty Carstensen and challengers Jeff Ziviski and Kollin Rice. Board member Eric Heintschel did not seeking re-election.

No figures were available in Ottawa Hills where Karen Rogalski was challenging incumbents John Buckey, Gretchen Rohm, and Gary Wilson for three school board seats.