Most school incumbents leading races

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, November 8, 2005

A contentious $6.5 million bond issue to rebuild Oak Harbor School District’s aging Memorial Stadium was falling short of the required 60 percent supermajority in early returns Tuesday.

The construction proposal was the hot topic in an otherwise lukewarm education scene.

Of 46 open school board seats in Snohomish and Island counties, just eight were actively contested – in Coupeville, Darrington, Lake Stevens and Stanwood-Camano, with two races each in Edmonds and Oak Harbor.

Five of the races included incumbents seeking to stay put, and all but one of the incumbents was leading in early results. The race for a vacant school board seat in Darrington was too close to call in early returns.

Marysville and Index also had positions with two candidates on ballots, though in each case one of the two bowed out before the election.

Achievement on state tests, building projects and balanced budgets were among the top issues among candidates.

Edmonds

Two incumbents were surviving challenges to retain their seats.

Recently appointed school board member Susan Paine had a nice birthday gift on Tuesday, with early results showing her well ahead of Gilbert Honanie Jr., an architect. “It was just serendipity,” said Paine, 44. “I’m just pleased and can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and do a little bit more.”

Paine, who works with at-risk youths, was appointed to the board in September to fill a vacancy.

Bruce Williams was leading challenger Roger Wilson.

Williams, 49, a physician who owns Edmonds Internal Medicine, has served on the school board since 1997 and is its current president.

Wilson, 78, is a retired teacher.

Lake Stevens

Snohomish Health District manager Kevin Plemel’s challenge of incumbent Janice Thompson was falling short in early returns.

Thompson, 49, an independent tax preparer, is finishing her first term on the board.

Stanwood-Camano

A Christian camp director was leading in what he billed “a cordial campaign.”

“It’s been a good experience to just get out among folks in the community … and seeing students and staff and the enthusiasm they have,” said Patrick Patterson, 41, who directs Warm Beach Christian Camp and Conference Center.

Patterson faced Charlene Byde, 54, an administrator at Alderwood Water and Wastewater District.

Darrington

The race to replace a 30-year school board veteran was too close to call Tuesday night. Few votes separated Kay Brooks and Cynthia Pugh in early returns. The two were vying to fill a seat vacated by Pete Selvig.

Brooks, 34, is an office worker for the Sauk-Suiattle tribal police department. Pugh, 37, is a volunteer and substitute educational assistant in Darrington schools.

Oak Harbor

This was the sixth attempt in the last 20 years to improve or rebuild the 59-year-old Memorial Stadium. The latest proposal would raise property taxes by as little as 2 cents per $1,000 valuation through a 15-year bond, the district estimated.

In school board races, incumbent Gary Wallin, 56, a funeral home director, was fending off a challenge from Bill Burnett, 46, a systems analyst critical of current leaders.

Meanwhile, Corey Johnson, 42, a civil construction company owner, was sailing past self-professed pot stirrer Brien Lillquist, 59, for a vacant seat.

Coupeville

Challenger Cindy Van Dyk was holding on to a narrow lead over incumbent Mitchell Howard.

Van Dyk, 48, a former teacher, was the top vote-getter in a four-way primary in September.

Howard, 57, is an innkeeper and retired minister who has been on the board since 1997.

Marysville

Two names appeared on the ballot for a seat, though one candidate pulled out in October.

Cindy Erickson was leading Teri Tyo, whose decision to withdraw came too late to get her name off the ballot.

Erickson, 43, a school volunteer, still didn’t take any chances, putting out yard signs.

She received a few calls from voters who hadn’t realized Tyo had dropped out. “I guess the real work begins,” she said.

Index

Two names appeared on the ballot in this small town, but only one was still running for the seat.

Candy Lee Krona-Mattila, 27, was leading over incumbent Scott Osenbrock Sr., 47, whose health problems caused him to step down.