Manhattan Mercury 1/23/2007 3:10:36 PM

Seven file today
Two add names to city ballot, five for school board

Staff reports

The filing deadline for April's election passed this morning with five candidates joining the field for the USD 383 Board of Education, and two entering the Manhattan City Commission race.

That means that there be no primaries in either race in advance of the April 3 election. It also ensures at least one new face on the City

Commission candidates on the April ballot will be incumbents Bruce Snead and Jayme Morris-Hardeman as well as Bob Strawn, George Savage, Bill Reece and Jim Sherow. Reece and Strawn filed this morning. Three of the six will be elected.

School board candidates are incumbents David Colburn and Nancy Knopp along with Curt Herrman, Amber Marden, Karen Hummel, Susan Marshall and Adam Dolezal. Hummel, Marshall, Colburn, Marden and Dolezal all filed this morning. Four of the seven will be elected.

Current board members Randy Martin and Roger Brannan opted not to file. Brannan announced his decision last month, but Martin waited until this morning before deciding against running.

The new school board candidates generally expressed similar motivations, a sense of duty to children and the community.

Marden, an employee at Early Edition whose son attends Manhattan High School, said she ''really wanted to give back to my community, and I think it would be good for my son as well."

She said she doesn't have an agenda, but she's willing to learn more about the issues.

Dolezal, who works for the Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department, described himself as a product of the Manhattan schools with children starting in the district. "I really didn't even plan to run until I found out there weren't enough candidates," he said asserting that he had no agenda for the board, and would examine each issue carefully.

Colburn cited his four years of board experience, and his three daughters in the system. He said he was ''very interested in seeing through the re-opening of Bluemont and the accommodation of new students associated with Fort Riley.''

Strawn, who unsuccessfully sought Rep. Sydney Carlin's legislative seat in November, said he filed for the Commission based on public feedback that he should do so. He described himself as ''concerned about property taxes,'' and added that while he is a ''big supporter of the redevelopment project,'' that project needs oversight from ''somebody who's not tied to the developer who's willing to make sure it gets done right.'' He also expressed ''considerable anxiety over the aquatics center.''

Reece, 64, is a retired military policeman from Ft. Riley who also was a patrol officer for the Junction City and Riley County police departments.

"I think it's time for a retiree to be on the City Commission, to represent a retired population that's growing," Reece said, noting that he has been a public servant his entire adult life.

Reece is concerned about publicly funded facilties that could potentially burden taxpayers, such as the proposed convention center, Discovery Center and Indoor Family Recreation/Aquatic Center. "Those are a taxpayer concern," he said. "All three are not going to be self-supporting in the long term."

Reese said he would not have voted for the partial smoking ban considered by the last year commission because it was not "inclusive enough."

In deciding not to run, Martin expressed satisfaction with several actions during his tenure in which "improvements have been made." He specifically cited the hiring of Bob Shannon as superintendent and passage of the quarter-cent sales tax initiative, as well as what he characterized as "improved funding" from the state legislature.

At the same time, Martin cited ongoing challenges including planning and professional development time, and issues related to a second high school.