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Eau Claire Area School District elections (2016)
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On April 5, 2016, four of the seven seats on the Eau Claire Area School District school board were up for at-large general election. Three seats were up for general election and one seat was up for special election.
Incumbents Rich Spindler and Chris Hambuch-Boyle filed for re-election, while fellow board member Chue Xiong did not seek a new term. Newcomers Aaron Harder, Jennifer Fager, and Carolyn Barstad all filed as challengers in the race. Wendy Sue Johnson was appointed to the school board in October 2015, after board member Trish Cummins resigned in August. Johnson opted not to file for election to the seat, which appeared on the ballot as a special election. This seat is a one-year term, as it expired in April 2017. At that time, the incumbent would have to file for re-election. Fager, with the fourth-highest vote count, assumed the one-year term while Spindler, Hambuch-Boyle, and newcomer Barstad won the general election. [1]
In May 2016, Spindler resigned from the board to pursue a job in another state. [2] His resignation took effect on June 21, 2016. The board accepted candidate applications through June 14, 2016. The appointed candidate will serve a one-year term that expired in April 2017, and all candidates gave a three-minute statement at a school board meeting on June 20, 2016.[2][3] Former candidate Aaron Harder was named by the board as Spindler's replacement.
Elections
Voter and candidate information
The Eau Claire Board of Education consists of seven members who are elected at large on a staggered basis to three-year terms. A primary election would have been held on February 16, 2016, if the number of candidate filings was more than double the number of seats up for election. Because only five candidates filed to run, all advanced to the general election on April 5, 2016. A special election appeared on the ballot for a one-year term. The candidate with the fourth-highest vote count assumed this seat.
To be elected to the board, candidates must reside in the boundaries of the school district for 28 days prior to the filing of a "Declaration of Candidacy" form. [4] They must also be 18 years old and citizens of the United States. Unless pardoned, those who have been convicted of a felony are not eligible for election to office in Wisconsin.[5]
Candidates had between December 1, 2015, and January 5, 2016, to collect between 100 and 200 signatures for their nomination papers. The signatures had to come from residents of the district that the candidate sought election to represent, but the petition circulators were not required to reside in the district or municipality. Circulators were required to be U.S. citizens and 18 years or older.[6]
Residents could register to vote in the election at the polling place on the election day. Proof of residence was required when registering to vote.[7]
Candidates and results
At-large
Results
| Eau Claire Area School District, At-Large General Election, 3- and 1-year terms, 2016 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Rich Spindler Incumbent |
21.31% | 13,101 |
| Chris Hambuch-Boyle Incumbent |
20.85% | 12,820 |
| Carolyn Barstad |
20.78% | 12,772 |
| Jennifer Fager |
18.88% | 11,605 |
| Aaron Harder | 17.80% | 10,944 |
| Write-in votes | 0.38% | 231 |
| Total Votes (100) | 61,473 | |
| Source: Mandy Gillip, "Email correspondence with Julie Streuck," June 15, 2016 | ||
Candidates
Rich Spindler 
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Chris Hambuch-Boyle
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Aaron Harder | |||
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| Carolyn Barstad
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Jennifer Fager
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Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Wisconsin elections, 2016
The Eau Claire Area School District election ballot also included the state's presidential primary and races for state and county courts.[8]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for Wisconsin school board elections in 2016:[9]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| January 5, 2016 | Candidate filing deadline |
| January 26, 2016 | Referendum submission deadline |
| March 28, 2016 | Pre-general election campaign finance deadline |
| April 5, 2016 | Election Day |
| April 25, 2016 | Board members take office |
| July 15, 2016 | Post-election campaign finance deadline |
Endorsements
Carolyn Barstad, Chris Hambuch-Boyle, Jennifer Fager, and Rich Spindler were endorsed by the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.[10]
Campaign finance
No contributions or expenditures were reported during the election, according to the Eau Claire Area School District.[11]
Candidates were only required to file campaign finance reports if they did one of the following:[12][13]
- accepted contributions, made disbursements or incurred obligations in an aggregate amount of more than $2,000 in a calendar year
- accepted more than $100 from a single source in the calendar year, except contributions made by candidates to their own campaigns
Past elections
Information about earlier elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2015Incumbent Kathryn P. Duax and candidate Joe Luginbill were both elected without opposition. 2014
2013
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What was at stake?
2016
Four of the seven seats on the Eau Claire Area School District school board were up for at-large general election in April 2016. Three seats were up for general election, while one was up for special election.
Two incumbents filed for re-election, facing three newcomers in the race. The special election was for a seat with an unexpired term—a one-year term expiring in April 2017—to which a former school board member had been appointed in the interim. The school board candidate with the fourth-highest vote count in the April 2016 election was to assume the one-year term. After an initial term (in this case, a year) the winner of a special election is required to file for re-election if he or she wishes to retain the seat.
The elections in both 2014 and 2015 were unopposed.
November 8, 2016, $5.8 million operational referendum
In a meeting held on August 1, 2016, six of the seven Eau Claire school board members voted to place an operational referendum question on the November 8, 2016, general election ballot. The seventh board member, Aaron Harder, was absent from the meeting.[14] The referendum passed and will provide an additional $5.8 million to the school district each year for 15 years, beginning in 2017. This will amount to roughly $87.9 million by 2031 collected through a 95 cent mill. The table below shows the tax increase for the referendum:
Estimated tax increase 2017-2031[15] Total property Value Cost per year Cost per month $100,000 $95.00 $7.92 $200,000 $190.00 $15.83 $300,000 $285.00 $23.75
School board vice president Joe Luginbill said the district needed increased funding to offset revenue shortfalls. A deficit of $3.9 million was projected for the 2016-2017 school year.[16] In 2016, Eau Claire was the eighth-largest district in the state and ranked 272nd in spending out of the 424 total school districts in Wisconsin. "We don't have a spending problem in our school district. We haven't for 20 years. We have a revenue problem, and that's what we're gonna be talking about with the voters," said Lunginbill. He blamed a state-imposed revenue cap, passed in 1993, for many of the district's budget problems. The cap was intended to control property tax and state aid increases.[15][17]
Many community members expressed support for the referendum and the school board. Volunteers with Support Eau Claire Public Schools offered to raise awareness for the cause. Counsel for the Eau Claire school district approved the referendum's wording. Ultimately, the fate of the referendum rested in the hands of the voters who decided at the polls.
Issues in the election
Candidate forum held
During a candidate forum held in March, each of the five Eau Claire school board candidates agreed that teacher pay should rise. There was a consensus among the candidates that increased teacher pay would help to attract—and retain—high-quality teachers, with Carolyn Barstad citing a three-year lag since the last pay raise had been given.[18] In line with the statements given by candidates, the board approved a new salary schedule for all district employees in May 2016. The pay raise increased the district's costs by $3.6 million and took effect on July 1.[19]
The candidates also discussed potential solutions to the issue of district overcrowding. Rich Spindler, 2015 board president, supported redistricting, as did Aaron Harder and, tangentially, Jennifer Fager. Fager voiced concern about redrawing school boundaries, worrying that it could negatively affect students. Carolyn Barstad favored renovating district buildings over redistricting, while Chris Hambuch-Boyle stated that she was open to exploring all of the options in more detail.[18]
Issues in the district
Parents weigh in on school start times
In continuation of a meeting held in November 2015, Eau Claire's school board held a forum to gather input from parents and community members on proposed changes to start times for area elementary and high schools in February 2016. The board proposed swapping the elementary and high school start times to make younger students begin the day earlier. Such changes have the potential to affect transportation costs, the number of contracted teacher days, and the number of snow days.
Furthermore, a transportation budget increase of $750,000—to coincide with the swapped start times—was discussed during the November meeting. During the meeting held in February, it was estimated that an additional budget increase of $600,000 would be needed to cover instructional costs imposed by the school day shift. In the face of increased costs and unknown consequences, many parents were critical of the proposal. Ultimately, there were no decisions made during the meeting, and board member Chris Hambuch-Boyle stated, "I think as a board we need to keep this up front and center if in fact that’s what our constituents in our survey tell us."[20][21]
Spring referendum moved to fall election
The Eau Claire Area School District Board of Education decided to postpone a possible spring referendum until the fall of 2016. During a meeting in December 2015, board members agreed to push back the pending April 5 referendum. This decision gave the district more time to debate the total dollar amount needed to fund district operating expenses and building improvements, including facility upgrades needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and safety upgrades such as new fire alarms on school campuses.[22] The new deadline for submitting the referendum to the state was mid-August, according to a timeline set during a January 4 board meeting.[23][24]
Board President Rich Spindler cited concerns about holding a referendum vote during a presidential election as the reason the board moved to place the issue on the spring ballot. "I think the concern from some board members is there’s so much media about the presidential race that educating voters on a referendum might get drowned out,” Spindler said. He also commented that by postponing the vote, "more people get to weigh in on it." The board discussed beginning a public information campaign for the referendum between its potential mid-August proposal and the November 8 referendum date. This campaign included using social media outlets, web and print materials, and community meetings to inform citizens about the referendum's purpose and content. District Superintendent Mary Ann Hardebeck asked that the Board of Education move forward on approving a timeline for the referendum proposal between January 18 and February 15. The next board meeting was held February 1.[23][24]
In a meeting held in October 2015, the Eau Claire Area School Board adopted a finalized budget for the 2015-2016 school year. Property taxes had dropped from the prior year's rate by roughly $46 for a $100,000 home in the Eau Claire area.[25]
Board criticizes referendum-restricting legislation
In December 2015, the Eau Claire Area School Board criticized legislation that would limit school district referendum elections to the regular spring and fall election dates. Under Wisconsin law, school districts can hold special elections on referendums at any time.[26]
The proposal, made by state Rep. Michael Schraa (R-53) and state Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-20), would also create a two-year buffer period for referendums that fail. Districts would have to wait out this buffer period if they wish to reintroduce the referendum to voters.[26]
During a meeting in December 2015, the school board decided to mail a resolution to the sponsoring legislators saying that the proposal “will significantly impact declining enrollment districts, which comprise over 60 percent of Wisconsin school districts.” Supporters of the proposal argued that the large number of referendums led to voter fatigue, pressuring voters to pass measures they may not otherwise support.[26]
School board member resigns
Eau Claire Area School Board member Trish Cummins resigned in August 2015, citing potential conflicts of interest and time constraints. Her term was set to expire in 2017. Former board member Wendy Sue Johnson was appointed to Cummins' seat with a 5-1 majority vote, but she stated that she did not plan to seek re-election. In April 2016, a special election was held during the general election to fill the remaining one-year term. Superintendent Mary Ann Hardebeck noted that she was surprised by Cummins' resignation.[27][28]
Candidate survey
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About the district
Eau Claire Area School District is located in Eau Claire County in western Wisconsin. The county seat is Eau Claire. In 2014, Eau Claire County was home to approximately 101,564 residents, according to estimates by the United States Census Bureau.[29] The district was the eighth-largest school district in the state in the 2013–2014 school year and served 11,032 students.[30]
Demographics
Eau Claire County outperformed Wisconsin as a whole in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 31.0 percent of county residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 26.8 percent of all state residents. The median household income in the Eau Claire county was $48,090 between 2009 and 2013. During that same time period, the median household income statewide was $52,413, compared to $53,046 for the United States. The poverty rates in the county and state were 15.7 percent and 13.0 percent, respectively, while the poverty rate was 15.4 percent nationally.[29][31]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Eau Claire Area School District' 'Wisconsin'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Eau Claire Area School District | Wisconsin | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Mandy Gillip, "Email exchange with Julie Steuck, executive assistant at Eau Claire Area School District," January 20, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Leader Telegram, "Former Eau Claire school board president submits resignation," May 7, 2016
- ↑ ECASD, "Applicants Needed for Open School Board Seat," accessed June 1, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Wisconsin Candidate Eligibility," accessed January 12, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates: Getting on the Ballot," accessed January 12, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "State Statutes: CHAPTER 8," accessed January 12, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Voter Registration," accessed January 12, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "2016 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote," accessed January 12, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Campaign Finance Report Dates 2016, 2017 and 2018," accessed January 25, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, "2016 Spring Election Candidate Endorsements," March 3, 2016
- ↑ Mandy Gillip,"Phone conversation with secretary of district business office, March 31, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Campaign Finance Overview: State Candidates," May 2010
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "11.0104 Reporting exemptions: limited activity," accessed January 26, 2016
- ↑ Eau Claire Area School District, "Meeting Minutes Monday, August 1, 2016," accessed August 13, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Eau Claire Area School District, "Operational Referendum Fact Sheet," accessed August 13, 2016
- ↑ Leader Telegram, "$87.9M referendum OK'd by board," August 2, 2016
- ↑ WEAU, "ECASD referendum set for November ballot as volunteers show their support," August 11, 2016
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Leader-Telegram, "Election forum: Eau Claire school district space concerns debated," March 11, 2016
- ↑ WEAU, "Eau Claire School Board approves pay raise," May 16, 2016
- ↑ WQOW 18, "Area school board discusses switching start times," November 2, 2015
- ↑ Leader-Telegram, "Eau Claire school district to survey parents on start times," February 2, 2016
- ↑ Leader-Telegram, "Eau Claire school district budget committee mulls additional referendums," December 1, 2015
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Leader-Telegram, "Fall referendum planning begins," January 26, 2016
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Eau Claire Area School District Board of Education, "Eau Claire Board of Education Minutes," January 4, 2016
- ↑ WEAU, "School board approves 2015-2016 budget," October 26, 2015
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Leader-Telegram, "School board criticizes referendum proposal," December 8, 2015
- ↑ WEAU, "ECASD board member resigns," August 4, 2015
- ↑ Leader-Telegram, "Johnson named to Eau Claire school board Johnson to serve out remainder of Cummins’ term," October 6, 2015
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 United States Census Bureau, "Eau Claire County, Wisconsin," accessed January 14, 2016
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed November 16, 2015
- ↑ United States Census Bureau,"State&County QuickFacts:USA," accessed January 15, 2016
- ↑ Eau Claire County Clerk, "Election Results," accessed February 7, 2014
| 2016 Eau Claire Area School District Elections | |
| Eau Claire County, Wisconsin | |
| Election date: | April 5, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large: Incumbent, Chris Hambuch-Boyle • Rich Spindler • Jennifer Fager • Carolyn Barstad • Aaron Harder |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
