A guide to school elections
Polls open Tuesday, May 2
Voters get the chance on Tuesday to have a grass-roots say in two things near and dear to most parents' hearts - their children's education and their property tax bills.
School elections are Tuesday, May 2, with tax levy issues being floated in nine of the Flathead's 19 public school districts.
Five are asking for general fund infusions while the other four propose building reserve levies to be collected over one, four or five years. In total, schools are asking for just under $1.38 million in added money.
And, although every district except Creston and Evergreen potentially could have new trustees serving on their boards after the election, only four have contested races: Kalispell, Marion, Smith Valley and Somers/Lakeside.
The rest - those with the same number of candidates as vacancies - used a provision of Montana law and elected their new board members by acclamation to eliminate the expense of running an election.
Creston's ballot shows the name of its sole candidate, Stan Uskoski, for the lone vacancy since the district is running an election anyway to request a building reserve levy.
Swan River and Whitefish both were one candidate shy of their number of openings, so they had to beat the bushes for a volunteer to fill the post. Both were successful.
Three years is a trustee's standard term, but some will finish out the remainder of other terms for one or two years.
Polls in most places open at 7 a.m. Some don't open until noon, and Whitefish starts voting at 8 a.m. Every district stops voting at 8 p.m. Check below for your times, and be sure to bring your identification when you check in with election officials.
District by district, here is what voters can expect to see on their ballots Tuesday:
Bigfork
-Bigfork's school election is canceled, with neither a levy request nor a trustee race. There were two school board openings. Maureen Averill filed for another three years representing Bigfork elementary and high school districts. Dennis Sabo, a newcomer, filed for three years to replace Pat Fierro, who represented the Swan River elementary district. Both were elected by acclamation April 19.
Cayuse Prairie
-Cayuse Prairie School has no levy this year after last year's successful $9,000 technology levy. Two trustees were elected by acclamation: Newcomers Martha Abbrescia and Danny S. Johnson will replace Doyle Sampson and Terry Peters, both of whom have served for six years.
There will be voting, however, for the Flathead High School levy and FVCC issues - noon to 8 p.m. in the school gym.
Columbia Falls
-Columbia Falls will run elementary and high school levies. The request is for $297,444 in the elementary, adding $27.53 in annual taxes on a home with assessed value of $100,000. In the high school, it's for $89,362, adding $7.34 to taxes on a $100,000 home.
Three trustees were elected by acclamation: Longtime trustee Jill Rocksund filed to retain her post and 2005 appointee Jim Henjum will take the position being vacated by Dave Cheff. Both are for three years. Newcomer Greg Macijunas will fill the remaining two years of Henjum's term.
Vote 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Glacier Gateway and Canyon elementary schools.
Creston
-Creston School will run a $50,000 building reserve levy at $10,000 annually for five years. It would rebuild the current building reserve which will be depleted this summer with roof, restroom and sidewalk repairs. Cost: $11.47 annually on a home with a $100,000 taxable valuation.
Trustee Stan Uskoski filed to keep his post, but is unopposed on the ballot. Vote noon to 8 p.m. in the school gym.
Deer Park
-Deer Park School will not run a levy and will seat two trustees by acclamation. Incumbent Harm Toren will continue another three years and newcomer Chantal Yacavone will replace outgoing longtime trustee Laurie Hunter.
But polls will be open for the Columbia Falls High School District levy and FVCC issues. Vote noon to 8 p.m. in the Deer Park gym.
Evergreen
-Evergreen Schools have no levy request and will seat one trustee by acclamation - incumbent T. Alan Compton was the only candidate, so he keeps his post.
There still will be voting for Flathead High School and FVCC issues. It runs 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the board room in the superintendent's office.
Fair-Mont-Egan
-Fair-Mont-Egan School has no levy request and no school board contests. Three trustees will be elected by acclamation: Incumbents Jeff Hagen and Steven Knoll, both for three years, and newcomer Pamela Evert for two years. Chairman Ron Schlegel will leave the board in May.
Voting on Flathead High School and FVCC issues will be from noon to 8 p.m.
Helena Flats
-Helena Flats is asking for a $15,000 building reserve levy to be collected for just one year. It would increase the taxes on a $100,000 assessed-value home by approximately $13 a year.
Only one trustee position was vacant, with Randy Shelton leaving the board. Eric Wenum was elected by acclamation on April 6.
Vote from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the school.
Kalispell
-Kalispell will ask for general fund levies in the elementary and high school districts, with both levies primarily to cover costs of moving into new facilities (Glacier High School and the expanded middle school). The $96,521 elementary levy would increase taxes $7.23 on a $100,000 assessed-value home. The $350,765 high school levy would add $12.71 in annual taxes.
Four school board openings and six candidates will be on the ballot.
In the Flathead High School district, incumbent Ivan Lorentzen is running unopposed to continue representing Cayuse Prairie, Creston, Deer Park and Fair-Mont-Egan districts. In School District 5 (both elementary and high school), incumbents Mark Lalum, Mary Ruby and Colleen Unterreiner will be joined on the ballot by newcomers Christine Rogers and Toni Modie (Modie indicated she would withdraw from the election, but it was after the legal deadline so her name will remain on the ballot).
Vote: School District 5 (elementary and high school, primarily in Kalispell) 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo Building. Poll No. 1 covers people with last names beginning with A-F; Poll No. 2 is G-L, Poll No. 3 is M-R and Poll No. 4 is S-Z.
Vote: Flathead High School District (rural elementaries) as follows:
- 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at West Valley School, Helena Flats School, Somers School, Lakeside School, Evergreen Junior High
- Noon to 8 p.m. at Deer Park School, Fair-Mont-Egan School, Creston School, Cayuse Prairie School, Kila School, Pleasant Valley School, Marion School, Bissell School, Smith Valley School.
Kila
-Kila School will run a $125,000 building reserve levy to improve education technology, cover building maintenance and remodeling, and buy equipment. It would be collected over five years, at $25,000 per year. It would add $23.76 to the annual tax bill for a $100,000 assessed-value home.
There's no trustee election. Newcomer Scott Black was the only candidate to file for the open seat being vacated by Sandy Nelson, so Black was elected by acclamation.
Vote from noon to 8 p.m.
Marion
-Marion School has no levy request. The trustee election will have four candidates running for two openings being vacated by Jill Dutcher and Sarah Robinson. Candidates, all new to the board, are Lily Brower (who was appointed to the board in January to fill in until the election), Diana Cook, Kathryn Dell and Marcia Tharp.
Vote from noon to 8 p.m. in the Marion fire hall.
Olney/Bissell
-Olney/Bissell School has no levy request. Trustee elections were canceled, with three candidates for three openings. Roberta Vergeyle was appointed in June 2005 to fill a vacancy and filed to serve the final two years of that term.
Incumbent Sally Christensen will serve another three years. Newcomer Thomas Carl West was appointed this spring after Jan Hendrix resigned too late to place the opening on the ballot; he will serve for one year.
Vote for Flathead High School and FVCC issues from noon to 8 p.m.
Pleasant Valley
-Pleasant Valley School has no levy request, after successfully running a mail-ballot building reserve for $37,000 in November. There's no trustee election, either. Newcomer Elizabeth Paige Maxey was the only candidate filing to replace Terri Nutter.
Vote for Flathead High School and FVCC issues from noon to 8 p.m. at the school, 7975 Pleasant Valley Road.
Smith Valley
-Smith Valley School has no levy request, but it will have a trustee election. Incumbents Carol Guest and Robert Sutton both are up for election and filed papers to run again. Newcomer Kimberly Morrison also is a candidate for one of the two openings.
Vote from noon to 8 p.m. in the school gym.
Somers/Lakeside
-Somers/Lakeside School will run a $105,000 general fund levy request. If passed, it would help implement a five-year curriculum development and maintenance plan. It would raise taxes
on a $100,000 assessed-value home by $16.45 a year.
There will be a trustee election, with four candidates running for two openings vacated by Leslie Beard and Joe Orr. Candidates are Dave Alexander, Mike Schlegel, Jayne B. Shiell and Francois P. Zanni.
Vote 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Somers Middle School for Precincts 29, 33 and 34. Vote 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Lakeside Elementary School for Precincts 13 and 24.
Swan River
-Swan River School has no levy request, after bonds were approved for a just-completed gym/cafeteria/classroom addition. There is no trustee election, with just two candidates for three seats. Incumbent Kristy Pancoast filed for re-election. Incumbent Michael Wynne vacated the remaining two years of the term to which he was appointed last year, and filed for the full three-year term being vacated by Bob Young. Both were elected by acclamation. Bob Young did not file but indicated he would accept appointment after being asked by his fellow trustees.
Vote 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the school library.
West Glacier
-West Glacier School will run a $15,000 general-fund levy request to cover upgrades in technology and curriculum. It would raise taxes on a $100,000 assessed-value home by $11.13 a year.
There's no trustee election. Incumbent Sue Lawrence filed for another three years and newcomer Brian McKeon will fill the seat vacated by Casey Heupel.
Vote 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Essex QRU or in the West Glacier School.
West Valley
-West Valley School will run a $200,000 building reserve levy, collected over four years at $50,000 annually. It would maintain the current facilities and provide for future planning, construction and maintenance for the growing district. The tax bill for a $100,000 assessed-value home would increase $26.58 a year.
There's no trustee election for two board openings. Incumbent KathyJo Schmauch filed to keep her post and newcomer Jane Wheeler filed to fill the vacancy left by Les Keller.
Vote 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the school.
Whitefish
-Whitefish Schools will run an elementary general fund levy of $32,997, the maximum the district budget allows. It would raise taxes $1.95 annually on a $100,000 assessed-value home. It follows last year's successful levy of $155,463.
There's no trustee election to fill positions being vacated by Doug Rhodes and Brian Lauterbach. Newcomer Shannon Hanson filed for candidacy, and newcomer Ruth Harrison answered a request for someone to serve on the board. Both have been seated.
Vote 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Central School foyer.
Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com