Helena Flats elects 3 new school trustees

The Daily Inter Lake

Official results aren't yet in - but unofficially, the Helena Flats School District got three new trustees Tuesday night.

The district is still waiting for any absentee ballots postmarked Tuesday, District Clerk Tonnie Decker said. The results are close enough that those extra ballots could make a big difference.

Unofficial results show Kevin Fritz and Denis Johnson as the winners of two three-year seats on the five-member board. They received 145 votes and 112 votes, respectively.

They edged out incumbents Erik Wenum and Scott Warner, who received 107 votes and 104 votes, respectively.

David Mattson is the unofficial winner in the race for a one-year term on the board. His 126 votes beat incumbent Emily Gillespie's 109 votes.

Other local trustee election results are as follows:

Bigfork, one three-year seat

Maureen Averill (I) - 284

Rod Driver - 187

Fair-Mont-Egan, two three-year seats

Steven Knoll (I) - 77

Andrew Goolden - 65

Jerrold Moon - 65

At a special board meeting tonight, Fair-Mont-Egan trustees will recount the votes for Goolden and Moon. If the results are still tied, the board either will appoint its new trustee or flip a coin to declare a winner.

Kalispell, District 4 (Kila, Lakeside, Somers), one one-year seat

Jean Barragan - 186

Rob Keller -161

Scott Harrison - 69

Marion, two three-year seats

Ann Glimm (I) - 49

Lily Brower (I) - 47

Alisa "Lisa" Conklin Jones - 34

Josh Nunn, who ran unopposed for a one-year seat on the Marion school board, was elected. The number of votes he received was unavailable.

Smith Valley, two three-year seats

Heidi Cook - 67

Bill Burback - 61

Doug Canfield - 28

Robert Sutton (I) - 23

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com