CONRAD — With a controversial bond issue for facilities improvements also on the ballot and the fate of the middle school building in Union a topic of much discussion and debate, six candidates — including current President Adam Probasco, the lone incumbent — are seeking four available seats on the BCLUW Board of Education in Tuesday’s election. Incumbents Brian Feldpausch, Todd Pekarek and Mindy Ashton are not seeking re-election, so at least three new faces will be joining the board.

The T-R sent an inquiry out to each of the six candidates — Shaelynn Farnsworth, Jill Lutes, Alicia Matney, Adam Probasco, Jami Rolston and Paul Wayman — to explain why they are running, what they hope to accomplish if elected and their feelings on the current facilities situation and the bond vote, and their responses, in alphabetical order of the candidate’s last name, are printed below.

Shaelynn Farnsworth: I live in Conrad with my husband, Nathan, and our children, Aiden and Grace.

I am a longtime educator who started my professional career as a high school English teacher at BCLUW in 2001. After 13 years, I worked for Central Rivers AEA, supporting districts around the area. This experience and knowledge are unique to the candidates running and provide an established relationship with the families and stakeholders in the school district communities.

I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Northern Iowa. I have a master’s degree in education.

I am seeking a position on the BCLUW school board for three key reasons. Firstly, having served as an educator within the district for 13 years, I’ve now reached a point in my career where I can volunteer and contribute to our community. My extensive teaching experience has provided me with a deep understanding of the diverse aspects of our school system, including the numerous challenges we face.

Secondly, I have been a resident of the BCLUW school district for over two decades. My husband, Nathan, is employed by a local business, and our children have received their education in BCLUW schools. These long-standing connections have allowed me to forge strong relationships with the families and businesses that form the core of our district.

Thirdly, as both a devoted mother and a former teacher, my professional journey has been dedicated to the cause of education and advocating for the best interests of all students, staff, and families of the five communities that make up our district. My pride in the BCLUW school district, coupled with the fact that my children are students here, motivates me to preserve and enhance our tradition of excellence in academics, sports, and extracurricular activities.

In summary, my candidacy is driven by a deep understanding of our district, a strong sense of community, and a lifelong commitment to education. I am eager to contribute to the continued success of the BCLUW school district.

If elected, I recognize that the school board carries the responsibility of guiding the education of BCLUW students. As a board member, my role will encompass a steadfast dedication to upholding the principles of community involvement in public education and ensuring that all perspectives are heard and considered on matters affecting our students, staff, and families, including those related to facilities and bond issues. My primary objective will be to make well-informed decisions that reflect the diverse viewpoints of the constituents I represent.

Jill Lutes: My husband and I raised and educated three kids in the BCLUW School District, and I would like to be part of the framework that will make a difference for our current and future students. If elected, I hope to represent the district’s voice in setting policy that centers around student achievement with fiscal responsibility.

I commend the current BCLUW school board and staff for taking action to plan for the future of BCLUW Schools. We aren’t the only district to have facility needs that extend beyond the operational budget, 35 school districts in Iowa* are seeking approval to borrow for projects in next Tuesday’s city-school election. The BCLUW Board of Directors plan is thoughtful and reasonable and should receive your “Yes” vote on Nov. 7.

*According to data compiled by Iowans for Tax Relief

Alicia Matney: I am running for school board because I treasure this community. My husband and I are BCLUW alumni, and we are grateful to raise our three children here. I believe we have a substantial impact in the lives of the students. By investing in their future, we are preparing them to be their best. I hope to focus our attention on the changes that will further us on that path. I also believe that it’s the school board’s responsibility to keep the facilities safe for the kids and staff, and to provide a productive learning facility. By revitalizing our current locations, we can offer better opportunities for our staff and the students to achieve higher goals.

Adam Probasco: My name is Adam Probasco. I’m currently the school board president and have been for the past year after being the vice president last school year. I’m running again for a third term.

If re-elected, my goal will be to lead our school board and district through this bond issue vote. I love serving this community and will focus on doing what is best for our school district, but more importantly our students.

We’re facing shrinking funding in our rural communities, and as a small school we need to use our funding as efficiently as possible. We have done a lot of research and have identified certain areas where we can be more efficient.

Our main goal is to move to a two building campus. It is not financially feasible to run and operate three school buildings anymore, so we need to prepare for that.

Our superintendent, Ben Petty, has done a great job of using our funding the best ways possible and preparing us for this time. Our board has stepped up and gotten us to this position for this bond issue vote. We’re in a great financial position at the moment, so passing this bond issue from a position of strength is the best possible outcome — rather than a position of weakness like being forced to close a building without being prepared.

Expanding our career and tech course offerings, more efficient teaching and collaborative areas, and adding a gym, like what we have proposed in our bond vote, is going to lead us into the next era for BCLUW Community Schools and I’m excited to hopefully be a part of that.

Jami Rolston: My name is Jami Rolston, and I am running for a seat on the BCLUW school board. My husband Henry and I have two daughters – one in high school and one in middle school. Henry and I are BCLUW graduates. My mother (Jean Schryver) and grandmother (Wilda Schryver) were both teachers at BCLUW. I returned with my family to the community from the Des Moines area to work with my father, uncle, cousins and sister on the generational transition of the Green Products Company. I have been working there in accounting and transportation management since 2014. This district has played an important role in our family’s life.

Having a great school system is the heart of our district. We need to ensure that our school remains competitive to spur growth in our communities. A quality education allows our children to realize opportunities in their future and entices them to return to our community when they have families of their own.

The upcoming bond vote is looming large in our district. It is crucial that everyone in our community research the matter, form opinions and vote. If elected, I will be joining the board after the vote. It will be our job at that point to make decisions based upon how our community speaks.

I believe the best asset our school has is our teachers and our small classroom sizes. It is one of the biggest selling points of our district. A rock solid education forms a base our children can stand on for years. If elected, I would make budgeting decisions to build our quality of education and preserve our teacher to student ratio. Our district’s emphasis should be on developing our students’ skill sets to enable them to hit the ground running upon graduation or propel them into further educational opportunities. I feel my passion for our community and my background in business, accounting and management makes me a qualified candidate for the BCLUW school board. I would appreciate your support in the upcoming election.

Paul Wayman: I live in Union and have two kids currently in school and a baby future Comet. I have been heavily involved in youth sports programs, and would love to be a part of helping the next generation, not only athletically but more important academically. Also, there is not a lot of representation of the Liscomb, Union and Whitten area on the board, especially with one board member from that area not running again. I hope to be a voice for the people in that area. I believe that school districts and communities are heavily tied together.

Secondly, if I’m elected, regardless of how the bond vote turns out, I believe there will be some friction inside the school district. We are all aware of what happened in G-R, and I hope to help heal the relationship between our divided district.

Also, the group that I hope to represent have brought up the timing and lack of information provided in a reasonable timeframe. I believe that is an area that can be improved upon. A lot of citizens feel as though this is being pushed through quickly, without enough time to really understand what they are voting for. A large group of citizens only found out about this in late September. Besides the bond issue, we seem to have a problem retaining good young teachers. It feels as though we are a stepping stone school. Granted, it is a nationwide issue, but I would like to dive into what we could be doing differently, or what more we could be offering to keep those teachers.

The facilities/bond issue is a long term problem. Personally I will be voting no. I’m not sure what the solution is, but I don’t believe shutting down one building is the right solution. Doing so will send shockwaves through the U-W community. Nowadays, operating out of three buildings is something that is unique and can set us apart. It keeps from exposing preteens, which are going through their biggest transition in life, to high schoolers who are practically young adults. The school districts serve the communities as much as the communities serve the school district. Every community should have ample time to discuss these issues and have the opportunity to come up with possible solutions. However, if this bond does pass I have spent my entire career in the construction trades and building maintenance and I believe that I would be a valuable resource in the process.

The current plans call for roughly $13 million in additions to the high school and elementary. Along with shutting down the middle school. That bond covers 20 years. However there is also roughly another $11 million in updates to those buildings that they say need to happen within the next 20 years. Naturally some of that will be covered in the additions they are proposing, but not all of it.

So over the next 20 years there would potentially be the current bond and another large chunk of money that would have to be put into the high school and elementary. With our declining enrollment, and the struggle to hire and keep teachers, that is a rather large financial commitment. I would like to see some options on possibly spreading the money out across the three current buildings, even if it means a larger bond.

I am not opposed to a bond, but I am opposed to not allowing the discussion of where those funds will be used. I believe we should be looking at all options. I encourage everyone to vote no. Let’s let every community in the district (not just a hand selected group) look at all the options and decide what is best for our communities and school district.