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Pikes Peak Region Districts' School Board Races Taking Shape

Posted on: Friday, 2 September 2005, 03:00 CDT

At least 69 candidates are vying for 47 school board seats in the Pikes Peak region's 17 districts.

Three districts -- Colorado Springs School District 11, Falcon School District 49 and Cripple Creek-Victor School District RE-1 -- also have money measures on the Nov. 1 ballot.

Candidates had to submit petitions by Friday to their respective school districts, and most of the districts had verified petition signatures Monday.

Falcon School District 49 has the most school board candidates. Eleven people are running for three seats. Candidates are Amy McClelland, Robert Dalzell, Stephen Jaszai, Dave Stark, Anna Bartha, Steven Cutler, Larry Stanley, David Trujillo, Jackie Vialpando, Lynette Whitsel and Jeffrey Husted.

Here's a rundown of the other area school board races:

Seven candidates are running for three seats on the Colorado Springs School District 11 board. They are Bob Lathen, James Kocher, Reginald Perry, Sandra Mann, John Gudvangen, Tami Hasling and Carla Albers.

Three candidates will vie for two seats in Cheyenne Mountain School District 12. They are incumbent Steven Mulliken, Steven Parker and Philip DeVries.

Four candidates in Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 will seek two seats.

The candidates are Cindy Nyhoff, Kelli O'Neil Trausch, Dawn Bentley and Richard Dorsey.

Harrison School District 2 has a field of eight candidates for three seats this year. Candidates are incumbent Kay C. Mast, Silas Bruner, Deborah Hendrix, Paul Lastrella, Rick Price, Linda Pugh, Ivan "Ed" Ralston and Cindee Will.

Two challengers and three incumbents are in the race in Widefield School District 3, where three board seats are up for election.

Candidates are incumbents Martin Kuhn, Sue Mitchell and Lorraine McWilliams and challengers Neil Nelson and Michael Terry.

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 has a race in two director districts.

Dee Dee Eaton and Jerrel D. Schubert are candidates in District 1.

In District 3, four candidates are running. They are Georgeann Hughes, John Magerko, Tom Roddam and Gail T. Wilson.

Six candidates are seeking three school board seats in Calhan District RJ-1. Two of the candidates -- Les Homer and Kathye Wilder - - are current board members who were appointed.

Other candidates are Judy Skrzypek, Jim Woolsey, Lori Imhof and Teresa O'Lear.

Voters in Ellicott School District 22 have four candidates to chose from for three seats.

Candidates are Yvonne Johnson, William Selke, Marcia Mangan and Michelle Matthiesen.

Two incumbents are among four candidates in the race for three seats on the Miami-Yoder School District 60 JT school board.

Incumbents are Jimmy Brewer and Connie Phipps. The challengers are Jeff Barnett and Jim Day.

In Peyton School District 23 JT, six candidates are running for three spots on the board. Candidates are incumbent Jerry Smullen, Mark Schultz, Bill Nevills, James JR Bond, Mark Burbach and Craig Phipps.

In Woodland Park School District RE-2, only one director district has a contested race.

Three candidates will vie for a seat in District D -- James Cosgriff, Robert Grumbo and Amy Nieman.

In District B, Rick Wetzel is the only candidate, and in District E, Steven Poppaw is the only candidate.

Elections are unlikely in Academy School District 20 and Manitou Springs School District 14.

In Academy, three candidates are running for three board seats. The candidates are incumbent Ann Elrod, William Howerton and Doug Lundberg.

In Manitou Springs, two candidates -- Larry Rice and Lori Finn -- have filed for two open seats.

Officials in Cripple Creek-Victor School District RE-2 said they are still verifying signatures on candidates' petitions.

District officials in Edison

School District 54JT and Hanover School District 28 did not return phone calls on Monday about school board candidates.

ON THE BALLOT

Three area school districts will ask taxpayers for money on Nov. 1:

In Colorado Springs School District 11, voters will decide whether to raise a mill levy cap imposed on the district in 2000. If the cap is raised, the district will borrow $131.7 million by issuing bonds that voters approved in 2004. The bonds would pay for two new elementary schools, an addition to Doherty High School and many repairs and maintenance projects at other district schools.

In Cripple Creektor School District RE-1, board members will ask voters to approve an estimated $12 million project that will upgrade the junior/senior high school, build an early childhood education center and an auditorium.

Falcon School District 49 plans to ask voters for a tax increase of $80.5 million over about 25 years to help pay for new schools.

Source: Gazette, The; Colorado Springs, Colo.

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