Filing for school board elections begins this week

MARENGO — Filing opened across the state Monday for the Nov. 7 school board elections. Candidates must file nomination papers with their school district’s school secretaries before 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21.

Nomination papers can be picked up at the local school district offices and must be returned to the district offices. Iowa charges no filing fees.

In the Iowa Valley Community School District in Marengo, two of five seats are up for grabs. The four-year terms are currently held by Jay Hall and Elaine O’Rourke.

At English Valleys, three seats of the five on the board are open, said Wendy Ayers, board secretary for both Iowa Valley and English Valleys. The four-year terms of Susan Schaefer, Matt Clarahan, Brandon Van Dee are expiring.

Voters in the English Valleys district will also consider an increase of 67 cents to the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, raising it to $1.34 per $1,000 of property valuation.

The money will be used for things such as roof repairs, buses and computers, said Ayers.

According to the Iowa Department of Education, voters may authorize the levy up to $1.34 for up to 10 years for such things as the purchase and improvement of grounds, construction of schools or buildings, purchase or lease of equipment or technology, payment of construction debts, purchase of transportation equipment, construction of additions to existing buildings or repairing and remodeling facilities.

PPEL funds cannot be used for employee salaries or travel, for supplies or printing costs.

In Williamsburg Community School District, the four-year terms of Mark Armstrong and Quinn Wolfe are set to expire. The school board consists of five directors. Candidates can pick papers up at the district office at the high school or print them online, but they must be returned to the business office, said Cindy Gingerich, business manager.

At Harwick-Ladora-Victor, three seats are open. The four-year terms of Laura Blomme, David Doran and Michael Kolesar expire this year.

In Belle Plaine, the four-year terms of Ben Reineke, Alicia Jacobi and Stephen Beck expire this year and will be on the ballot.

Belle Plaine voters will also consider renewing the revenue purpose statement for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education funds, said Business Manager Stacy Kolars. The district proposes to continue using the funds such things as information technology infrastructure, including improving the buildings for accessing broadband internet, school safety and security infrastructure, building and furnishing new buildings or additions, remodeling and repairing buildings, purchasing or leasing equipment, including transportation equipment, and purchasing land as part of the student construction program.

A candidate for a school board in Iowa must be at least 18 years old, must be a citizen of the United States and must be a resident of Iowa.