David Valot, Wendy Krueger-Bell, and Michael Zynewicz are vying for two seats on the Mackinaw City Public Schools Board of Education in the election Tuesday, May 4. Mr. Valot is running for re-election. The other available seat has been vacated by Michael Bootz, who is retiring from the board after serving for six years. Each seat is a four-year-term. Candidates must be Mackinaw City residents to run for election.

Photographs were not available for these candidates.

David Valot

A graduate of Mackinaw City Public Schools in 1988, Mr. Valot was graduated from Lake Superior State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business management. He has owned the Sundown Motel in Mackinaw City for 18 years.

Mr. Valot was appointed to the board in August 2005 and was elected in May 2006. He believes his business background has been helpful in making difficult decisions in school finances. During his first year on the board, Mr. Valot pointed out, the school had a deficit of $235,000. With the combined effort of the board, the school now projects a $200,000 surplus.

Mackinaw City Public Schools receives very little state funding and depends instead upon non-homestead property taxes. This is challenging, Mr. Valot said, as the school loses money if a business successfully appeals a tax assessment. While the school is in good financial shape, an attorney has been hired to represent the school in these cases.

Maintaining quality education is another priority for the school, Mr. Valot said. Owing to lost revenues, surrounding school districts have had to cut back on programs and have increased class sizes. Mackinaw City Public Schools should develop policies to welcome out-of-district students while ensuring a quality education, he said.

Mr. Valot and his wife, Becky, have four sons, Jaren, 7, Noah, 5, Issac, 3, and Kyle, 1.

He enjoys hunting, traveling, and taking fishing trips.

Michael Zynewicz

Originally of Boyne City, Mr. Zynewicz was graduated from Boyne City Public Schools in 1986. He moved to Mackinaw City in 1995, where he became a paramedic for Mackinaw City EMS and Cheboygan Life Support.

If elected, this will be the first time Mr. Zynewicz will serve on a board. His goal is to keep an open mind while considering issues, and he will examine every option before making a decision on the board. He wishes to join the board of education to play a role in providing access to the best education available to both his children and the children attending Mackinaw City Public Schools.

Considering the state of the economy, Mr. Zynewicz is concerned about funding for the school. He hopes to find solutions to any financial problems the school may encounter without placing more strain on taxpayers. He also wants the school to deliver a high-quality education, and would like to see the home economics program reinstated.

Mr. Zynewicz and his wife, Kellie, have two daughters, Kiara, who is in ninth grade, and Victoria, who is in seventh grade. They also have eight nieces and nephews who are in school from kindergarten through 10th grade.

Wendy Krueger-Bell

Mrs. Krueger-Bell was graduated from Mackinaw City Public Schools and from North Central Michigan College in Petoskey, where she earned an associate's degree in commerce. She works at BayView Obstetrics-Gynecology in Petoskey and helps her husband, Jim, who currently serves on the Mackinaw City board of education, operate a home-based business that sells medical scrubs and nursing uniforms.

The Mackinaw City Board of Education will be the first board Mrs. Krueger-Bell has served on if elected. She will use her organizational skills, diplomacy, and an open mind to work hard for the children and taxpayers of the village, she said.

Mrs. Krueger-Bell wants to find ways to offer more diversity in the school's curriculum. It is also important to retain in-district students, she said, and the board should work toward keeping them at the school. If students do leave the district, it could be helpful to speak with them and determine why they are leaving, she suggested.

Mrs. Krueger-Bell and her husband have six children; Tierney, 16, Samantha, 15, Jacob, 12, Macaulay, 10, Calysta, 8, and Gabriella, 6 . She also has eight nieces and nephews who attend or will attend Mackinaw City Public Schools.

A member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, she enjoys scrapbooking and involvement in her children's activities.