By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Four Waterford Graded School District residents have thrown their hats into the ring as they seek appointment to fill a vacant position on the School Board for the next few months.
The School Board had set a Nov. 10 deadline for receipt of applications. At a special Board meeting held Monday night, Superintendent Chris Joch revealed the names of the four applicants: Daniel Bowser, George McNair, Grant Strobel and Dan Walker.
Moving forward
At Monday’s special meeting, board members discussed the next steps as they reviewed the process of determining who should serve on the board.
The board is scheduled to interview each of the four candidates in open session during a special meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20. Each prospective board member will be given a 15-minute window for an interview.
Afterward, officials are expected to go into closed session to discuss each of candidates. If a person is chosen at the meeting, board members will go back into open session and reveal their determination.
While he was not opposed to interviewing candidates, board member Dan Jensen said he believed each of the applicants’ provided the district with adequate information through the materials submitted.
“I would just hope we would ask questions beyond what they have already shared with us,” Jensen commented.
The candidates
• Bowser has run for a seat on the WGSD board the past two election cycles. He concedes he could have made greater strides toward getting his message out to voters in the entire WGSD community.
“My involvement has been more in getting information I view as important out to parents and educators, so we can eventually have open dialogue over the global and technological challenges we face and how to best prepare our youth to meet them,” Bowser wrote in his application.
• McNair, in his letter of interest, lists some of his attributes, including service to the U.S. Navy for nearly a quarter century. Throughout his career, McNair has served in various capacities, including some in the education arena.
“I believe that my greater than nine years of experience while serving in positions as an advanced electronics instructor, curriculum developer, recruit division trainer and student training manager makes me uniquely qualified to be appointed to this position,” McNair wrote.
• Strobel, an employee of the Lake Geneva Joint 1 School District, has experience as an educator in the elementary and middle school settings.
“Diversity is what will help foster an environment for a successful school board,” Strobel wrote. “Looking at problems from different perspectives allows the strongest solutions to arise. I will bring forward a viewpoint that is currently missing from the board.”
• Walker previously served on the WGSD board, from 1998 to 2001. During part of his elected service, Walker served as board president.
“My wife and I have two adult children, both educated from K-12 within the Waterford Graded and Waterford High School districts,” Walker wrote. “We have a commitment to each of the districts and feel they have served our children well.”
The vacancy
The WGSD board vacancy was created in September when veteran board member Bob Kastengren formally stepped down after suffering a stroke.
Last month, the four current members of the WGSD board discussed options for filling the vacancy. There was widespread support to fill it through an appointment process.
Other options included leaving the position vacant until the next general election in April 2015 or holding a special election — an option seldom used since it carries a cost.
While the board has a say in who fills the vacancy in the short term, voters will have a say next April. Kastengren’s seat expires in 2016, and outcomes from the April 2015 spring general election will determine who fills the remaining year of the position.
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