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Jessica Karnowski
Jessica Karnowski is a member of the Oconomowoc Area School District school board At-large in Wisconsin. She assumed office in 2015. Her current term ends in 2027.
Karnowski ran for re-election to the Oconomowoc Area School District school board At-large in Wisconsin. She won in the general election on April 3, 2018.
Biography
Karnowski earned her bachelor's degree in health sciences from Marquette University. She is a registered dental hygienist and an adjunct clinical professor at the university. Karnowski previously worked as an emergency medical technician with the Oconomowoc Fire Department. She has three children.[1]
Governing majority
2017
| Oconomowoc Area School Board, 2017 |
|---|
| Donald Wiemer |
| Sandy Schick |
| Kim Verhein Herro |
| Dan Raasch |
| John Suttner |
| Steve Zimmer |
| Jessica Karnowski |
From May 2017 to January 2018, the Oconomowoc school board voted unanimously to approve 92.06 percent of the 63 motions brought forward by board members. The board approved all of the 86 motions brought forward during this time, excluding procedural, roll call, and adjournment votes. There was no discernible governing majority in 2017 due to the absence of a voting pattern for specific members.
Dissenting votes
Five of the board's 63 votes were not unanimous. Three of those votes related to a motion to approve a schematic design and development work for the Meadow View Elementary School, Oconomowoc High School East Campus, and Oconomowoc High School Main Campus. Herro voted "no" on all three votes and Raasch voted "no" on one.
One non-unanimous vote was about base wage negotiations with the Oconomowoc Education Association. Another vote dealt with a bid for interior demolition and asbestos abatement at the Oconomowoc High School East Campus. Raasch voted "no" on both votes.
Absences
John Suttner was absent from six of the board's 11 meetings in 2017. Dan Raasch was absent from two meetings, and Jessica Karnowski and Steve Zimmer missed one meeting.
Issues
Votes on board procedures accounted for 20 motions or 31.75 percent of all motions brought before the board in 2017. District procedures accounted for 17 or 26.98 percent of votes, fiscal matters accounted for 14 or 22.22 percent of all motions in 2017. The board voted on 7 motions related to personnel matters in 2017. The remaining 5 motions dealt with curriculum matters and teacher salary decisions.
2016
| Oconomowoc Area School Board, 2016 |
|---|
| Donald Wiemer |
| Sandy Schick |
| Mike Bickler |
| Kim Verhein Herro |
| John Suttner |
| Steve Zimmer |
| Jessica Karnowski |
From January 2016 to December 2016, the Oconomowoc school board voted unanimously to approve 100 percent of the 93 motions brought forward by board members. These totals exclude motions to approve board minutes or procedural votes. There was no discernible governing majority in 2016 due to the absence of a voting pattern for specific members.
Board changes
Kim Verhein Herro defeated Dave Guckenberger in the board's election on April 5, 2016.
Dissenting votes
There were no dissenting votes by board members in 2016.
Absences
John Suttner was absent from six of the board's 13 meetings in 2016. Steve Zimmer was absent from four meetings, Sandy Schick missed two meetings, and Mike Bickler was absent from one meeting.
Issues
Votes on district procedures accounted for 37 motions or 39.8 percent of all motions brought before the board in 2016. These votes included approval of new or revised policies and vendor agreements. Twenty-three votes on fiscal matters accounted for 24.7 percent of all motions in 2016. The board voted on 17 motions related to personnel matters in 2016. The remaining 16 motions dealt with board procedures, curriculum matters, and teacher salary decisions.
2015
| Oconomowoc Area School Board, 2015 |
|---|
| Donald Wiemer |
| Sandy Schick |
| Mike Bickler |
| Dave Guckenberger |
| John Suttner |
| Steve Zimmer |
| Jessica Karnowski |
From January 2015 to December 2015, the Oconomowoc school board voted unanimously on 93.5 percent of the 77 motions brought forward by board members. The board approved 100 percent of the motions recorded during regular meetings in 2015. These totals exclude motions to approve board minutes or procedural votes. Because of the high rate of unanimous votes, a governing majority could not be determined.
Dissenting votes
Dave Guckenberger opposed all five measures that were not unanimously approved in 2015. His opposing votes came on measures dealing with a keyless entry system for the high school stadium, participation in a regional school alliance, and a mobile technology plan for district schools. Sandy Schick and Jessica Karnowski voted with Guckenberger to oppose a measure approving changes to the 2016-2017 school calendar in November 2015. These were the only dissenting votes from board members other than Guckenberger in 2015.
Absences
Steve Zimmer was absent from four of the 12 regular meetings held in 2015. John Suttner and Jessica Karnowski each missed one meeting during the year.
Issues
Votes on curriculum issues accounted for 23 motions or 29.8 percent of all motions brought to the board in 2015. District procedures accounted for 20 motions or 25.9 percent of total motions, while personnel decisions represented 20.7 percent with 16 motions. The remaining motions included 13 fiscal issues, three board procedural votes and a scattering of discplinary and teacher contract questions.
Elections
2018
Three of the seven seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board in Wisconsin were up for at-large general election on April 3, 2018. Incumbent Jessica Karnowski and newcomers Juliet Steitzer and James Wood defeated incumbents John Suttner and Donald Wiemer.[2][3]
Results
General election
General election for Oconomowoc Area School District school board At-large (3 seats)
Incumbent Jessica Karnowski, Juliet Steitzer, and James Wood defeated incumbent Donald Wiemer and incumbent John Suttner in the general election for Oconomowoc Area School District school board At-large on April 3, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jessica Karnowski (Nonpartisan) | 22.9 | 2,767 |
| ✔ |  | Juliet Steitzer (Nonpartisan) | 21.4 | 2,586 |
| ✔ |  | James Wood (Nonpartisan) | 20.2 | 2,449 |
 | Donald Wiemer (Nonpartisan) | 19.4 | 2,354 | |
 | John Suttner (Nonpartisan) | 16.1 | 1,949 | |
| Total votes: 12,105 | |||
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2015
Donald Wiemer, John Suttner, and Jessica Karnowski won election without opposition on April 7, 2015.[4]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Lake Country Now, "Meet your Neighbor: New Oconomowoc School Board member Jessica Karnowski," January 23, 2015
- ↑ Abbey Smith, "Email communication with district clerk," January 3, 2018
- ↑ Waukesha County Elections, "2018 Spring Election Unofficial Results," accessed April 3, 2018
- ↑ Jefferson County, Wisconsin, "Spring General Election: April 7, 2015," April 14, 2015
| Oconomowoc Area School District elections in 2018 | |
| Waukesha County, Wisconsin | |
| Election date: | April 3, 2018 |
| Candidates: | At-Large: Incumbent, Jessica Karnowski • Incumbent, John Suttner • Incumbent, Donald Wiemer • Juliet Steitzer • James Wood |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
