Four newcomers are vying May 6 for two three-year seats on the Townsend School Board. Neither of the two incumbents filed to run.

Townsend School polling hours are May 6 from noon to 8 p.m. at the school.

The Townsend Education Association is holding a school board candidate forum, April 29, 7 p.m., in the school library community room.

The May 2 Neighbors section will carry articles about upcoming school levy elections in Montana City, Townsend and Jefferson High School districts, as well as polling places and hours.

All the Townsend School Board candidates were asked to respond to the following questions. Candidates were given a 500-word limit.

1) Why are you running for school board and what are your major qualifications?

2) What would you like to accomplish as a school board member?

3) Do you support the proposed $85,000 school levy? Explain your stance.

4) Do you support the school board's decision to not renew the contract of Coach Rauh? Explain your stance?

5) What should be your role as a school board member in working with the school administration? And with school board policies?

Michael Dexter

40 Little Cottonwood Road, Townsend, MT 59644

266-3371

dexandrox@aol.com

Education: Baker High School, Baker, 1985

Eastern Montana College, 1991, B.S. -- business administration/finance; Iliff School of Theology, 1994 -- master's degree, divinity/theology

Current job: Pastor of Trailhead Christian Fellowship Church

Family: wife, Roxanne; children: Bailee, 12; Lynzee, 9, both attend Townsend Schools

1) I feel the school is one of the most important assets of our community. It is a large reason why my family moved back here from Billings in 2003. We wanted to raise our children in a smaller community where they would receive a quality education. I simply want to do my part to insure that our school is one which provides a high quality education as well as many other opportunities. I believe my background in administration and management, my problem-solving skills, and ability to work towards compromise/mediation are all major qualifications that would benefit the board, school and community.

2) In regards to the events of the past several months, I feel that the lines of communication and trust between the administration and board have been negatively impacted. I also believe that the teachers, students and community at large have lost some confidence in the board. While I would never claim to be able to "fix" those problems, I would like to help begin to restore the confidence and rebuild that trust.

3) Raising taxes is never popular, and the economy's instability has most of us concerned. Rising costs of gas and food are impacting all of us. In the midst of that, our community has several serious issues facing it. Our county roads are seriously deteriorating, our law-enforcement salaries are lagging behind surrounding areas, and the school has financial issues facing it in regard to staffing and supply. They are all critical issues. Personally, I will support all three.

4) I don't feel that I have all of the information in regard to that decision. I know what I read in the paper and what I heard through the "rumor mill." If what was reported in the papers and around town is true and accurate, and there are no further reasons for Coach Rauh's dismissal than what was reported, then ... no, I don't agree with the decision. Proper procedure doesn't seem to have been followed, and the stated grounds for his dismissal would set a precedent that would have us firing coaches on a regular basis.

5) It seems the school administration is in the best position to evaluate the effectiveness of the teachers and staffing. They work together on a daily basis, and the whole system is set up to run through that "chain of command." The policies exist to provide guidance and direction for that process. It is the primary role of the school board to insure that policies are followed, and to evaluate the administration while still allowing them to do their jobs. The school board needs to be the catalyst of communication between the administration, the teachers, the student body and the community at large ... seeking to insure that the interests of all parties involved are listened to and properly addressed.

Joan Eliel

59 Sky View Lane, Townsend, 59644

980-0655

joaneliel@yahoo.com or jeliel@mt.gov

Education: Sheridan High School, Sheridan, MT, 1981; Montana State University, Bozeman: Bachelor of Arts, political science with public administration option, 1981-1986; Montana Judicial Institute, 1999; University of Montana, School of Law, Missoula,-- graduate course focusing on criminal law, civil procedure and constitutional law

Current job: Program specialist, Montana Department of Justice, Office of Consumer Protection and Victim Services

Family: Married 27 years to husband, Tom; children: Brad, a 2007 graduate of Broadwater High School, and Jenna, a sophomore at BHS

1) I've been approached by several people in the community to run for this position and feel a responsibility to at least put my name in the hat and leave the rest up to the voters. My qualifications include my years of experience as a Justice Court Judge in Beaverhead County (Dillon) prior to moving to Townsend and also the experience I have in my current state position in working with law and policy matters.

2) This is a public service position. I don't believe this is a position where one sets out to accomplish your own goals. I believe my responsibility is to the students, teachers, administration and the community of Broadwater County to serve their interests and to provide and foster an environment of quality education.

3) I do support the $85,000 levy. School funding is a statewide issue, which is still being argued on the state level, so it is no surprise that local schools are seeking additional funding. The $85,000 being requested is for core necessities such as salaries and building maintenance. The increase in fuel costs has hit us on so many levels other than just at the gas pumps. The increased costs for heating, busing, and cost of goods in general are bound to have budgetary consequences. Over and above its function as an educational facility, the school also serves as a community center for a variety of activities and events such as the Cowboy Poetry Gala, the Lion's Club Basketball Invitational Tournament, The Old Baldy Community Education programs, just to name a few, and the school has been gracious about supporting these outside activities. It would be a real blow to our community to have to lock the doors and shut off the lights each day at 4:30 in order to cut costs.

4) I do not support the manner in which the board decided to not renew Coach Rauh's contract. I feel neither policy nor procedure was followed in his dismissal. It is imperative for the school board to follow current policy, for by not doing so, it creates suspicion and mistrust in the minds of the public and is counterproductive to the educational atmosphere of the school. If a policy is not good policy then change the policy, but until it is changed the board has a responsibility and an obligation to follow that policy.

5) I believe that the school board and the administration each have their own distinct roles, functions and responsibilities, but at the same time they must work together to make the school run smoothly and to assure that the rights of the students, faculty and the citizens are not ignored or disallowed.

As I've stated previously, I believe the primary role of the school board is to ensure that school policy is being followed.

Claudette Hohn

214 S Cedar St., P.O. Box 966, Townsend, 59644

266-4161 cell: 465-0704

bnchohn@msn.com

Education: Central Valley High School, Buxton, N.D, 1981; attended NDSU in Fargo, N.D., MSU in Bozeman, and has an associate degree in professional goldsmithing from Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell.

Current job: Field coordinator, KEMA Services Inc., an international consulting firm. The Montana office specializes in residential and small commercial energy and water conservation.

Family: Husband Brian graduated from Townsend; children: Jenna, 22, Ruby, 12 and Eli, 11. Ruby and Eli both attend the junior high and elementary school in Townsend.

1) I am running for the school board because I would like to be of service to the school my children attend and my community. I am currently involved in the Townsend community as a member of the city planning board and as a superintendent of the home crafts for the Broadwater County Fair. I also have gained experience from being on the city council in Columbia Falls, as well as other committees in the Flathead Valley including a member of the board of directors for the Flathead Valley Big Brothers and Sisters program.

2) I have no agenda for this position and would approach all issues with an open mind.

3) I support the levy because I think that the school needs the money and will make good use of the funds. I think that this school is an excellent institution. I also think that the school provides a service to the community as well. It is not only a school, but a place where community events are held, a place where they have community education classes, a place where the adults of the community can play sports and lift weights, and the list goes on. I think it is a small amount for a levy considering that the school is open from the early a.m. till late p.m. for everyone.

4) I do not support the decision because the policy was not followed. I think an explanation is owed to the community as to why that did not happen in this case.

5) I think a school board is responsible for working with the administration and setting polices that will ensure a place where quality education is the main goal. I anticipate that my role would be to facilitate that goal in whatever way was needed.

J. Kevin McDonnell

P.O. Box 54, Townsend, 59644

266-3518

Education: Billings West High School, Billings; Montana State University, Bozeman, agricultural engineering

Current job: Civil engineer, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Family: I have been married to my wife, Beth, for almost 18 years, and we have four children attending school in Townsend.

1) I made the decision to run for school board because I believe that I can make a positive contribution to our school's tradition of quality education.

My qualifications come from my background, educational and work experience, and involvement in youth and community activities.

I spent many years farming and ranching, and believe the school board in a rural county should be aware of the challenges facing agriculture.

I have worked in the construction industry for the last 16 years, from laborer to project engineer. I have been involved in negotiations with architects, engineers, owners, contractors and labor, and work daily with various professionals to design and complete projects within budget. The skills that I have learned and continue to learn would serve me well on the school board.

Through my involvement in many community activities, I have gotten to know a lot of good people. I believe that I have a pretty good understanding of the people of this county and am someone people would be comfortable discussing school issues with.

2) As a school board member, I would advocate responsible budget practices, encourage the involvement of parents and citizens to contribute their knowledge to the students' education. The school-to-work program and the radio station are good examples of those types of programs.

There are many career options available through colleges, technical schools, military and labor organizations. Students should be aware of the opportunities, encouraged to set goals and understand that finishing high school is a prerequisite to most of those programs.

3) Yes, I do support the proposed mill levy. The major items that the additional funds will cover are mandatory salary increases and increases in insurance costs. Annual increases in materials and energy costs have been partially offset by state funding from increased enrollment. This cannot be expected to happen every year and this mill levy will help to avoid a potential shortfall.

4) Respectfully, no. Without getting into issues that have already been raised, I would like to comment. The school district faces losing a valuable faculty member, a substantial investment of time into a young teacher with a bright future and a positive role model in the school. This decision sends the wrong message to faculty members who are working to run quality programs for the students, and has caused disruption in the school system. I believe that Mr. Rauh should continue coaching football in Townsend and, as a school board member, given the opportunity, would vote in favor of awarding the coaching contract to Mr. Rauh. It is time to resolve this situation and move on.

5) Our school is a vital part of our community both socially and economically, and is responsible for providing students with a well-rounded education and preparing them to be productive members of society. The administration, faculty and school board need to work cooperatively to accomplish these goals, provide a quality positive learning environment and engage the community in the educational process.

Reporter Marga Lincoln: 447-4074 or marga.lincoln@helenair.com