Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
While all the Warsaw School Board incumbents up for re-election will retain their seats, one Wawasee School Board incumbent and one from Triton were defeated Tuesday.
A few new faces also will join county school boards.
Warsaw School Board President Ron Yeiter received 930 votes, beating his challenger for the district 1 seat, Barbara Smolen, who had 590 votes.
"We're happy," said Yeiter today. "I'm just real pleased with all the support we had. Hopefully, it'll be a vote to support (Superintendent) Dr. (Robert) Haworth."
Yeiter said he went door to door to more than 700 houses, and he was pleased with all the support he received everywhere he went.
He said he was disappointed in the negative ad that outgoing school board member Cathy Folk ran in the Times-Union Monday. Up to that, Yeiter said the race was very positive and he felt the negative ad was not needed. The focus is on the kids and the ad was not at the best of timing, he said.
Incumbent Tammy Dalton, district 5, held on to her seat with 559 votes, while her challenger, Tom Heuer, received 440.
Yeiter said Tammy has been a real positive for the board. She more than puts in her time on the board. "It's a real positive to see her in," he said.
"I'm happy with the outcome on my part. I'm grateful Yeiter won, too. I'm thrilled with the results," said Dalton.
She said Warsaw has a great school board right now and is glad to see the incumbents return and provide continuity. Warsaw has a good school system and a great superintendent in Haworth who Dalton said she looks forward to continue to work with as a board member.
District 7 board member Eugene England was unopposed and received 919 votes.
The new face on the Warsaw School Board will be Delores Hearn. Hearn received 613 votes for the district 2 seat, while her challenger, Brad Hagg, received 511. Hearn replaces Folk, who served the maximum number of consecutive terms and could not run for re-election.
"Of course," said Hearn late Tuesday night, "I'm excited to begin a new process.
"My position was to make sure families and parents had more involvement in the schools, to enhance communication between the schools and families. The bottom line is achievement of all children, that's what I've spent my life doing."
Yeiter said he thinks Hearn will be very positive for the board. He said she will be a contributor and Haworth will work with her to get her oriented to the board.
Hagg said he was glad he and Hearn could run positive campaigns with a focus on the kids.
"I think I was really pleased with the turn out," said Hagg. "I was impressed with the number of people who turned out. I was honored by the number that supported me."
He said he hopes everything goes well for the school board. Down the road, he said he may consider running again for the school board, and is glad for the guidance and support he received.
For the Wawasee district 3 school board seat, incumbent Marion Acton lost to Rebecca Linnemeier. Acton had 38.85 percent (1,795) of the vote to Linnemeier's 61.15 percent (2,825). Linnemeier could not be reached for comment this morning.
Incumbent Brian Dawes did not run for re-election for the district 1 Wawasee School Board position. Taking over for him will be Michael Wilson, who received 2,406 votes. Wilson's opponent, Lydia Clark, received 1,829 votes.
Wilson said, "I'm glad to have an opportunity to represent Tippecanoe Township on the board. I appreciate Lydia running."
Initially, Wilson said he and Clark did not know they were running against each other for the board seat, but they have had good conversations since. Clark lives three doors down from Wilson. "She would have been a good board member, too," Wilson said.
Wilson had four kids go through the Wawasee School System and he said he is very proud of the Wawasee schools. He said he had no personal agenda for the board, but wants to keep "a good thing going."
Wawasee District 2 incumbent Mary Lou Dixon was unopposed and received 3,731 votes.
At Triton, Rodney Kreft defeated incumbent Steven Blackford for the district 1 seat. Blackford received 140 votes in Kosciusko County and 513 votes in Marshall County. Kreft received 155 votes in Kosciusko County and 653 in Marshall County.
Incumbent Deborah Shively will retain her district 2 seat, receiving 150 votes in Kosciusko County and 613 votes in Marshall County. Her challenger, Sammy Cullison, received 158 votes in Kosciusko County and 515 in Marshall County.
The district four race had four people vying for the seat, but was won by Jerilyn Anders. Anders received 87 votes in Kosciusko and 449 in Marshall. Kevin Boyer received the most in Kosciusko, 110, but 306 in Marshall. Marcia Keyser received 76 votes in Kosciusko and 241 in Marshall, while Chris Heet took away 34 votes in Kosciusko and 162 in Marshall.
