Deadline noon to file for school board. Get a packet, get 20 voter signatures, turn it in by noon

School board hopefuls can pick up applications
BY BRETT BENNETT Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/66338/
Wednesday was the first day individuals could begin picking up applications and circulating petitions to file for school board positions.

Although petitions can be circulated now, there is a one-week time frame for filing them in mid-July this year because of a change in state law, Washington County Clerk Karen Combs Pritchard said. Petitions with at least 20 signatures have to be filed at the clerk’s office between July 11 and July 18.

“ There’s only a one-week period there. The last day is at noon on July 18, ” Pritchard said.

Each school district has some seats up for election; all seats are five-year terms. Most seats up for election this year are at-large positions with the exception of a seat each on the Greenland and Springdale boards.

School board positions up for election this year are listed below with the name of the current members who hold the positions:

• Fayetteville — Susan Heil

• Farmington — Wesley Stephens

• Elkins — Carol Heymsfield

• Greenland — Dennis Caudle, Zone 5

• Lincoln — Gary Morris

• Prairie Grove — Steve Bartholomew

• West Fork — Tim Helder

• Springdale — Robert Farrell, Zone 2; and David Van Bebber, at large

The elections are scheduled to be held on Sept. 16.

Any school tax elections not held for the year also will take place on that day.

Greenland held a tax election on June 10 that increased the district’s tax levy by 2. 6 mills to 39. 5 mills.

On Friday, the Arkansas Department of Education announced that despite the tax increase, department Commissioner Kenneth James will recommend that Greenland be annexed because of its status on the state’s fiscal distress list.

The Arkansas State Board of Education is scheduled to take up the matter at a meeting in Little Rock on July 14, just four days before the filing deadline. James has recommended the district be annexed immediately. It remains to be determined what effect an annexation will have on board elections if approved.

“ I’m just going to proceed like normal until I’m told something different, ” Pritchard said. “ It’s just going to be interesting to see what happens. We’re in uncharted territory. ”

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