School board race matches Myers, DeShields - again
By TOM BERRY
Staff Writer
Two of three candidates that sought former Gov. Ernie Fletcher's appointment to the Calloway County Board of Education in 2007 will be on the November ballot for election to a full four-year term.
Bonnie Leeann Myers, who was appointed to the position in March 2007 vacated by Linda Avery, will again face a challenge from Jenger Coursey DeShields on voting machines in Calloway school District 2. DeShields and Calloway resident Larry Crutcher were also considered for appointment by Fletcher.
Myers, who has completed serving Avery's term following a special election last November, said Monday that she has been proud to be a part of the board's task of guiding education in Calloway County and pledges to continue if elected.
“I look forward to a full four-year term of service,” she said. “I continue to be available at all times for Calloway County. I will continue to be a strong voice for quality education for all children. I believe we have one of the best school districts in the state and together we can work to achieve the goals set by No Child Left Behind.”
Myers says she has the training and required experience to serve.
“I am a graduate of CCHS,” she said. “My son and daughter-in-law also graduated from CCHS. My daughter attends CCHS and my granddaughter attends Calloway County Preschool. My husband and I are local business owners.”
Myers has served with the East Elementary PTA and is currently the 1st District PTA president that serves 13 counties in western Kentucky. She is also serving her second term on the state Department of Education's Parental Advisory Council.
DeShields, a lifelong resident of Calloway County and a 1981 graduate of CCHS, has two children that attend East Calloway Elementary School. She says she wants to do everything she can to make every child's educational experience the best it can be.
“I have a great deal of pride in our schools and want them to strengthen and grow,” DeShields said. “Like everyone else, I pay school taxes on my car, home, and essential services like telephone and electricity. I believe that everyone has a stake in making sure that the money we pay is spent wisely and our children are receiving the best education possible.”
Noting that the Kentucky Attorney General's office is sponsoring a free program for school children concerning Internet safety, DeShields says she wants to make sure similar programs are recurrent.
“ If I am elected, I want to invite these folks into our schools and make it a yearly program,” she said. “In today's world, this may save a kid's life and it would not cost a dime. We should grab all the ‘free' stuff that Frankfort has to offer.”
DeShields said East Elementary has been forced to discard approximately 3,500 library books in the past year because of age, mold, or deterioration that have not been replaced.
“No one has a plan to do so,” she said. “How can we stress the importance of reading when we will not even provide a library for these kids? This problem needs to be fixed.”
The candidate says teachers and staff should be provided with the tools they need to do their jobs, but should also provide a “degree of morality that will teach our children by setting a good example” to build confidence in the school system.
”As your District 2 school board representative, I will spend my time working for you. I believe in using common sense to face our problems,” DeShields said. “I don't plan to waste your tax dollars burning gas to go to Frankfort every week for meetings or serving on committees that won't help our kids. There is much to do right here, right now.”
Other members of the Calloway County Board of Education are up for re-election. Richard Smotherman and Jeff Gordon, chairman of the board, are running unopposed. Each is included in the appropriate district ballot, according to the Calloway County Clerks office. However voters may write in a candidate's name if a candidate registers for the position within 10 days of the election.
Also running unopposed are Dr. Richard Crouch, chairman of the Murray Independent Board of Education, and Vice Chairman Stuart Alexander. Both men seeking re-election to the board. There are currently no write-in candidates filed.
Others seeking election to offices in Murray -Calloway County include 13 candidates that have registered to run for 12 at-large seats on the Murray City Council.
John “Melvin” Bowers, Jane Brandon, Greg Anderson, Dan M. Miller, Pete Lancaster, Bill Wells, Jeremy Bell, Danny O. Hudspeth, Robert Billington Jr., F.T. “Butch” Seargent, Pat Scott, Linda Cherry and David Ramey are included in the list. Anderson is the only new candidate on the ballot; the others are incumbents.
In Hazel, five candidates will appear on the ballot seeking six seats on the Hazel City Council. Incumbents running for re-election include Joe D. Thompson, Lori Charlton, Nancy Mieure and Pat Latimer.
However two new candidates, Joycelyn Hardin and Michelle Sharpe, are seeking the two empty seats. Sharpe's name will not appear on the ballot because she is running as a “ write-in” candidate.
Of course, state and federal races will appear on ballots in all city and county precincts.
Story created Oct 07, 2008 - 10:26:39 EDT.
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