Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Patrons of two area school boards showed their dissatisfaction with their school boards Tuesday by voting out incumbents and putting new board members in office.
Three new members will take their seats on the Whitko school board in July, replacing two incumbents, including the current board president, and a board member who died several months ago and was never replaced.
Hal Trump, David Tranter and Michael Braddock will be sworn in at the July 13 board meeting. They will replace Marie Trump and current board president Richard Deckena, who ran for re-election and lost. Former board member Mark Skiles died in November and no one was appointed to fill that vacancy on the board. Trump's and Deckena's terms will end June 30.
Of the five candidates, Trump was the big winner Tuesday, with 575 votes in Kosciusko County and 361 in Whitley County, for a total of 936. Tranter was second, with a total of 769 votes, and Braddock had 752 votes. Deckena had 499 votes, and candidate Mark Mynhier was fifth with 357 votes.
Incumbents Deb Collyer and Larry Long still have two years to serve on the board.
In Tippecanoe Valley, the two school board incumbents, current board president Bruce Andrews and Fred McSherry, lost the election to newcomers David O'Brien in District 1 and Hal Hoffman in District 2, respectively.
Andrews came in second place with Kosciusko County voters - 325 votes - but was in last place - 150 votes - in Fulton County. McSherry was in second place in both Kosciusko County and Fulton County.
The new Tippecanoe Valley school board members will take their seats at the July 10 board meeting along with incumbents Tom Weaver, Rod Eaton and Mark Wise.
