Everett school board races close

Published 8:43 pm Tuesday, August 18, 2009

In a tight race for a spot on the Everett School Board, incumbent Karen Madsen is trailing district watchdog Jessica Olson by less than 200 votes. It appears both will advance to the general election on Nov. 3.

Pastor Jeff Russell is winning the race for a vacant spot on the Everett School Board with 47 percent of the vote. Retired Navy captain Pam LeSesne has 38 percent of the vote and will likely advance to the general as well.

If the first batch of votes, counted Tuesday night, hold, retired teacher Annie Lyman appears to be out of the race for Madsen’s seat. LeSesne and Russell also appear to have edged Bennie Walthall, a retired urban planner and architectural designer, out of the race for Position 3.

Change and accountability were big themes for many of the challengers.

Everett School District leaders have come under fire for secretly recording a teacher in her classroom, racking up more than $200,000 in attorney fees related to legal battles over student newspapers and hiring a new superintendent without giving the community a chance to comment on the finalists