Remaining incumbents are safe bet to return to board
By Jason Arndt
Editor
After ballots were printed for the April 2 spring election, challenger Mary Trottier decided not to pursue a Burlington Area School District Board of Education seat, which will likely lead to the return of both incumbents.
Trottier, in a phone call on Monday, told the Standard Press she made a decision nearly two months ago.
“I am no longer running,” she said. “It came about in the beginning of February.”
She, along with incumbents Barry Schmaling and Kevin Bird, were able to circulate nomination papers starting Dec. 1 until the formal filing date of Jan. 2.
With Trottier out of the running Schmaling and Bird are poised to retain their seats.
Schmaling, who sought a seat in April 2015, was later appointed by the School Board to replace departing Larry Anderson.
Bird was first elected to the School Board in 2015, and initially decided not to seek re-election two years later.
However, after former Board President Jim Bousman stepped down to recover from a car accident, the School Board decided to bring Bird back to fill the rest of Bousman’s term.
On Monday, Bird responded to an election questionnaire, indicating he plans to help the district move forward in a positive direction.
“I want to continue the progression to help the Burlington School District be the best in class, in facilities, and academics as compared with other state high schools,” he wrote.
Schmaling did not return repeated phone calls for comment.
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