Dale Yakaites
Dale Yakaites is an at-large member of the Marshfield School District Board of Education in Wisconsin. Yakaites ran for the seat in the primary election on February 16, 2016. Yakaites was one of the top four vote recipients and advanced to the general election that was held on April 5, 2016. He won election to the board by defeating Dan Wald and Mark Critelli.[1]
Biography
Yakaites owns a landscape photography business, Dale Yakaites Photography, in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He retired from the Marshfield School District in 2006 where he worked as the district's publications director for eight years.[2]
Elections
2016
Two of the seven at-large seats on the Marshfield School District school board were up for general election on April 5, 2016. A primary election was held February 16, 2016. The seats of incumbents Amber Leifheit and Pete Mancl were up for election. Mancl did not run for re-election. Leifheit faced Thomas Binder, Mark Critelli, Dan Wald and Dale Yakaites in the primary election. All of the candidates, with the exception of Binder, advanced to the general election. Leifheit and Yakaites defeated Wald and Critelli in the general election.[1]
Results
| Marshfield School District, At-Large General Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Amber Leifheit Incumbent |
31.81% | 5,035 |
| Dale Yakaites |
28.00% | 4,433 |
| Dan Wald | 21.48% | 3,400 |
| Mark Critelli | 18.70% | 2,960 |
| Write-in votes | 0.01% | 2 |
| Total Votes (100) | 15,830 | |
| Source: Tiffany Rouse, "Email correspondence with Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Jennifer Heeg," June 6, 2016 | ||
| Marshfield School District, At-Large Primary Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Amber Leifheit Incumbent |
31.10% | 1,546 |
| Dale Yakaites |
25.73% | 1,279 |
| Dan Wald |
17.34% | 862 |
| Mark Critelli |
13.44% | 668 |
| Thomas Binder | 12.39% | 616 |
| Total Votes (100) | 4,971 | |
| Source: Tiffany Rouse, "Email correspondence with Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Jennifer Heeg," March 16, 2016 | ||
Funding
Yakaites reported no contributions or expenditures to the Marshfield School District in the election.[3] Any candidate spending or receiving less than $2,000 was not required to file a campaign finance report.[4]
Endorsements
Yakaites received no official endorsements for his campaign during the election.
Campaign themes
2016
Yakaites responded to the following questions in an interview with The Hub City Times:
| “ | Why are you running?
I feel that school board members have the responsibility to work together to set policy and develop a vision for sustained educational excellence in a school district. They are responsible for making sure all schools are safe places to come to work and learn every day. A school board member is part of a team, a team that accepts and listens to input from board members, school administrators, school staff, and community members. I am running for school board because I think individual board members should strive to represent all the people in the district and put personal and political agendas aside. What do you see as the most significant issue facing the school district that you would have to deal with as a board member? Continued vigilance in terms of school safety should be a top priority. School finance will always provide major challenges for all school districts. Balancing the ability to maintain quality academic programs and co-curricular opportunities for all students — while building a fiscally responsible budget that considers the concerns of taxpayers — is a never-ending challenge. Another critical issue is the recruitment, training, and retention of staff. This is a statewide issue. Competition to find and keep outstanding teachers to sustain the academic excellence we have become accustomed to here in Marshfield is dependent on great teachers. We have to work harder to provide a positive working environment for staff and to reward them for their accomplishments. Why should citizens vote for you? First, I am willing to listen, and sometimes that is a critical skill that persons in elected positions forget when it comes time to make decisions. I believe that serving as a school board member is one the most important positions in a community. I feel that strong, safe schools are vital to the future of our children and an essential part of making Marshfield and the surrounding area a great place to work and live. Great schools are essential to the growth of a community — key attractants for businesses looking to hire and for parents looking to relocate. Second, I had many duties in over 34 years in this district: teacher, coach, technology coordinator, publications specialist, and resource person for several superintendents and many school boards. I know the history of the district and know what the position of school board member entails. If elected, I would have a very short learning curve. Finally, I have the time needed, the desire to serve the people of this district, and the energy to do the job well.[5] |
” |
| —Dale Yakaites (2016)[6] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Dale Yakaites' 'Marshfield School District'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Marshfield News Herald, "5 run for Marshfield School Board," January 6, 2015
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Dale Yakaites," accessed January 26, 2016
- ↑ Tiffany Rouse, "Email correspondence with Marshfield School District Board Secretary Jennifer Heeg," February 10, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Campaign Financing," accessed January 25, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Hub City Times, "Candidate Questionnaire: Amber Leifheit and Dale Yakaites," January 9, 2016
| 2016 Marshfield School District Elections | |
| Marathon County, Wisconsin and Wood County, Wisconsin | |
| Election date: | Primary Election: February 16, 2016 • General Election: April 5, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large: Incumbent, Amber Leifheit • Thomas Binder • Mark Critelli • Dan Wald • Dale Yakaites |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional measures on the ballot |
