Marion BOE candidates answer questions
Three candidates of the five seeking seats on the Marion-Florence USD 408 Board of Education are running unopposed.
One of the three, Rex E. Savage, is a 12-year incumbent, while the other two, Christopher A. Sprowls and Kathy Meierhoff, are newcomers. Savage is seeking re-election as the representative from member district position number 3, while Sprowls is running for the district 1 spot, and Meierhoff is seeking the district 2 position.
The only contested race in the local school board contest is the one for position 7, which is the at-large position. Newcomer Sarah Cope and current school board member Doug Sharp are both in the running. (An article about Cope and Sharp was in last week's issue of the Marion County Record.)
All the candidates either visited with the Marion County Record reporter and/or participated in a candidate forum March 14, sponsored by the Marion High School government classes. Following is information about the three remaining candidates:
Rex E. Savage
Rex Savage of Florence has a deep and abiding love for kids, which is the main reason he decided to seek re-election to the school board.
"I'm finishing up my 12th year on the board, so if I'm not qualified by now, I won't ever be," he quipped.
Another reason Savage decided to run again was because he felt it would be a tough year for four new people to take office.
"We had the potential for four new board members this year and we're looking at a turbulent couple of years. It's not a time when we should be changing the majority of board members," Savage said.
Currently serving as the board president, a position he has held five or six times in the past, Savage said being on the board has been rewarding.
"The reason why is pretty simple when I see a group of students go across the stage every year during graduation," Savage said.
A Marion High School graduate, Savage is a member of the Marion Christian Church and often serves as a youth sponsor in both Marion and Florence. With business interests in both the Marion and Florence area,s Savage said he is concerned about tax issues and how it affects patrons.
"It's important to balance school finance and tax issues and do it without handicapping ourselves" with overbearing taxes, he said.
Savage's wife, Carolyn, works as a substitute teacher in the school district. They have two children. Jennifer, a Marion High graduate, is attending Friends University, and Rebecca is a junior at MHS.
One of Savage's strengths as a board member is that he has a good relationship with the staff. "I'll hear what they have to say," he said.
Budget concerns have been and will continue to be the most pressing issue facing the board, he said.
"We've been discussing how to minimize the effect on classrooms, but in a worst-case scenario you'll feel it in the classroom," Savage said. "About 80 percent of the budget is personnel."
Savage said the district has already cut travel, adjusted thermostats, and basically done everything possible to save money.
"But we're looking up to a half a million shortfall," he said. "Those little things are not going to be adequate to make up the difference."
High school students said they were concerned about providing more parking at that attendance center. Savage agreed that parking there had been an issue for years and indicated unused area near the school could possibly be utilized.
"This is a bad time to be looking at a major capital expenditure (like building a parking lot)," Savage told the students. He challenged them to visit with their building improvement team and together possibly come up with some options.
When asked if he supported the newly instituted policy of random drug testing for students involved in extra curricular activities, Savage indicated he was.
"There's plenty of substantiation that if you misuse drugs or alcohol you're less economically productive, which doesn't mean you can't succeed and you're not a good person. But statistically, you're likely to have problems," he said.
On the question of whether spending money on drug testing was a prudent use of funds, Savage said it was.
"We had to do this. Right now, I feel it's the best place for our money," he said.
When questioned about the issue of school consolidation, Savage said it will happen if the state decides it will save money.
"But lots of communities will be the real losers if that happens," he said. "When the Legislature makes that decision it will be an unpopular time to be on a school board."
If Marion County were to be consolidated into one large district it would not be savings, he said.
"There would be one superintendent, but they would need four or five assistants to run it. It would just create another level of bureaucracy," he said.
When questioned about the possibility of a four-day school week, Savage said the Dexter school district had used a four-day week for years, and it saved money on transportation and utilities, but not really on personnel, curriculum or extra-curricular activity costs..
Savage noted he was proud of the academic standards the district sets for its students and said Marion graduates do well in college and in the world. He did note, however, that he would like to see the district better prepare students who are going out in the work force after graduation rather than on to college, but said that was an issue which would have to wait for better economic times.
Chris Sprowls
A Marion High School graduate, Sprowls is the manager of Kingfisher's Inn, a business he has been involved with all his life because his parents own the restaurant. He attended Hutchinson Community College studying hotel and restaurant management.
He has one son, nine-year-old Matthew, who is in the fourth grade at Marion Elementary School. Sprowls also has a six to seven year old carpentry business known as "What Knots."
He is entering his third year as a member of the Marion Elementary School Building Improvement Team, and has volunteered in various elementary classes. He also was on the search committee when a new elementary principal was hired, and ran the REC summer program for several years.
Although most of his school experience is at the elementary level, Sprowls said he knows what's going on in the upper grades because many high school students work at the restaurant.
"You hear what's really going on," he said.
Like the other candidates, Sprowls said the main consideration facing the board would be the budget.
"Everything needs to be looked at for cuts, but by far the biggest part of the budget is payroll," Sprowls said. "I don't feel you can get around staff cuts. I would hope for as few as possible. These people are our neighbors, friends, and families."
Sprowls said cuts must be made where it will affect kids least.
"Your education has to come first," Sprowls told students. "What affects your classroom is my first priority. I want you to have the best education possible."
Students were interested in the issue of parking space at the high school. Sprowls said he was glad students had brought up the issue, and suggested MHS students visit with their building improvement team. However, he noted that with the budget problems a parking lot would not be a "high priority."
"It's one of the things that will be a little lower on the list," he said.
Cutting supplies would not save enough money to make up the budget shortfall, he said.
"When we're looking at a half million shortfall, cutting supplies will not be adequate," he said.
On the question of whether he supported random drug testing, Sprowls said it was important that students leave school and enter the world in the best shape possible. He noted students sign a statement agreeing they will not use drugs or alcohol while participating in extra-curricular activities.
"I would hope it would sink it that you have to be as good as your word," he said.
He also noted the money used in random drug testing was "money well spent."
Drug use is "something that will affect you all your life," he said. "I feel (testing) is good, and needed."
On the topic of school consolidation, Sprowls said many plans are "on the table" in the state legislature and said "It's probably coming and will probably happen in the future.
"I'd be real surprised if a major consolidation were to occur throughout the state anytime soon," he said. "I feel it's pretty well out of local control."
When asked about a four-day school week, Sprowls said he would be willing to look at it as a possibility if it would save money.
"We would have to decide if school could start earlier and last longer," he noted.
Sprowls said he was interested in running for the board because he wanted to "make a difference."
"I have the ability to look at both sides of an issue. I'm fair and I'm approachable," he said. "And I don't mind saying what I think.
"I think community service is everybody's responsibility and everyone has a responsibility to volunteer," he said. "What better place to try and make a difference than with our children's education."
Kathy Meierhoff
A 1988 graduate of Marion High School, Kathy Meierhoff said she ran for office because she felt it is important for everyone to be involved in their community.
She graduated from Emporia State University with a bachelor of science degree in business administration. Currently, she works as an administrative assistant with the Kansas Department of Transportation in Marion.
Meierhoff and her husband, Chris, have two children, Brandon, 9, a fourth grader, and Erin, 7, a second grader.
Meierhoff is involved in children's activities. She has volunteered at Marion Elementary, and helps the school's parents group when needed. She coached her children's baseball and softball teams, and is a Sunday school teacher at Eastmoor United Methodist Church.
Before deciding on any cuts that might be made in the district, Meierhoff said she would first like to see all facts and figures.
"I'd like to see us do whatever possible to not cut staff," she said. "But it's a tough time. People all over, in every sector, are losing their jobs.
"I'm open minded, but I can see where it might be possible if staff if no longer needed in some areas due to declining enrollment.
"But to that student, their teacher is one of the most important people in their life," she added.
Meierhoff said the main reason for local budget problems is due to the declining enrollment, and said it was important for the district to support the community.
"Local businesses do a lot for the schools. They make donations, they support extra-curricular activities," she said. "I think it's important that the schools buy locally whenever possible and even accept a local bid — even if it's not the lowest bid — if it's close.
"Schools need to support the people who pay the taxes," she said. "How can the district expect people to support the schools, when the school doesn't support them?"
On the question of school consolidation, Meierhoff said she "doesn't like it," and felt it is detrimental to the community affected when a school closes.
When asked about the issue of parking at MHS, Meierhoff said that was a problem back when she was a student. "I don't have a solution because you're limited on space.
"Actually, there's more parking now than there was when I was going there," she added.
On the question of whether she would support a four-day school week, Meierhoff said she would because she felt it would save money.
"If you cut off a Friday that'll save some. Of course, the students would have longer hours," she noted. "Of course, it might create more hardship for some parents because it would mean another day of day-care."
As to whether or not she supports random drug testing, Meierhoff wondered if it is necessary during a time when money is so tight, but noted it's a fact of life in the workforce.
"If we're looking at cutting staff, I wonder if it's the best use of money," she said. "However, when you get into the work force, most jobs require employees to take random drug tests. You have to take the test to be hired.
"I do believe that the random drug test will help kids deal with peer pressure. It is an 'out' for them so they can say 'no'."
An issue Meierhoff feels strongly about is one involving school dress codes. At one time, the district was considering requiring school uniforms. Although she doesn't feel the school should require uniforms, Meierhoff said she believes dress codes should be enforced. "If they're going to have policies, than the policy should be enforced."
Meierhoff said she was a good listener and would listen to everybody's opinions and suggestions if elected.
"And I'll be honest with people. I won't say one thing to one person and something else to another person just to make everybody happy," she noted. "I'm not a 'yes' person."
