Local School Boards Will Have Open Seats; Candidates Must File by February 13
By Amy Polk

Those who want to be a part of the decision making for their local school have until Tuesday, February 13, to file a nominating petition to become a candidate for school board elections in May. Petitions can be returned to various sites, including local township halls, or the Mackinac County or Chippewa County clerk's offices. Since petition drop-off locations vary, the specific locations for each district will be noted below.

There are two ways to get a name on the school election ballot. A resident of the district can either turn in a petition signed by a minimum of six area residents or a maximum of 20; or one can pay a $100 filing fee. Write-in candidates must file a declaration of intent by Friday, April 27, which is a change from the former deadline. Write-in candidates used to be able to file four days before the election, but now must file 10 days before.

The school election will be Tuesday, May 8, and some of the local districts have not only school board members to decide, but also millage issues on the ballot. Those districts with millage elections as of Friday, January 19, are noted below.

Residents who are not registered to vote in their community who wish to vote in the May election must be registered by Monday, April 9. Register at the local township or city hall, or a Michigan Secretary of State's office.

St. Ignace Area Schools

Two, four-year seats will be open on the school board of the St. Ignace Area Schools. Trustees in those seats are Andy Brown and Sheri Oja. Mr. Brown has not yet said if he will run for re-election. Mrs. Oja will not run for re-election. She said she has served eight years and is "ready to move on."

Petition forms are available at the St. Ignace Area Schools on Portage Road. They should be returned to the Mackinac County Clerk's office on Marley Street in St. Ignace.

DeTour Area Schools

Two, four-year seats, held by Donza Worden and Lynn VanAlstine, are available.

A request to renew the district's 18-mill levy against non-homestead properties will also be on the ballot. The levy raises $1,681,285 for school operations, or 63 percent.

Petitions can be obtained at DeTour Area Schools in DeTour Village, and must be mailed to Chippewa County Clerk Diane Cork, or submitted in person at the Chippewa County Clerk's office in Sault Ste. Marie.

Engadine

Consolidated Schools

The Engadine district has one seat available, now held by Mary Formolo, who has not yet announced whether she plans to run again.

Petitions are available at Garfield Township Hall at N6769 on M-117 in Engadine. Petitions must also be submitted there.

Moran Township's

Gros Cap School

Two, four-year seats, currently held by Nancy Dandona and Mike Cope, are open. The two trustees have not yet announced if they will run for re-election.

The district will request that voters renew its ability to levy 16.8734 mills against non-homestead properties, and it is the same amount approved by voters in 2005. The levy will be for three years, and will generate $914,000 in 2007. Moran Township's non-homestead millage generates almost all of the district's operating revenue. Like Mackinac Island, Gros Cap does not receive state aid from the state's education fund, and raises most of its operating money locally.

Nominating petitions can obtained at the Moran Township Hall on US-2 or Gros Cap School, and must be returned to Moran Township Hall.

Les Cheneaux Community Schools Two, four-year seats are available, now held by Dave Murray and John Causley.

The district will also ask voters to renew the 18-mill levy against non-homestead properties. The district seeks renewal of the ability to levy 18 mills on an annual basis. In the Les Cheneaux district, 18 mills generates $2,154,907, or 62 percent of the district's budget.

Petitions can be obtained at Clark Township Hall on Blind Line Road in Cedarville, or at Les Cheneaux Community Schools' central office on M-134 in Cedarville. They must be submitted to the Clark Township Clerk's office.

Mackinac Island

Public Schools

The two, four-year seats, held by Paul Wandrie and Ben Mosley, are open to anyone interested in running against the two trustees, who are expected to run for reelection.

Nominating petitions and voter registration forms are available at the City of Mackinac Island clerk's office. Forms should be turned into the Mackinac Island clerk's office.

Mackinaw City

Public Schools

Mackinaw City Board of Education has two, four-year seats available, held by Valerie Dullack and Marilyn McFarland. They have not yet announced whether they will run again.

Petitions are available and should be submitted to the Cheboygan County Clerk's office.

Pickford

In Pickford, two seats are available. They are now held by Dennis Skinner and Steven Rose, who are both expected to run again.

The district is also seeking renewal of its ability to levy 18 mills against non-homestead properties. The millage generates $465,514 for the district's general fund, and pays roughly 13 percent of the district's general operating expenses.

Rudyard Area Schools Two, four-year seats, occupied by Joni Andary and Tim Gerou, are available.

Petitions can be obtained at the Rudyard Area Schools Administration Office or Rudyard Township Hall. Petitions and voter registration should be submitted to the Chippewa County Clerk's office.