John Wells (Georgia)
John Wells was the District 2 representative on the Muscogee County Board of Education in Georgia. He first won election to the board in 1986 and served until 2014 when he lost a runoff election.
Biography
Wells earned a B.S. from Columbus State University. His professional experience includes working as a business owner and property manager.[1]
Elections
2014
John Wells ran against Victor Morales, John "Bart" Steed and John F. Thomas in the general election on May 20, 2014. Wells lost to Thomas in the runoff election on July 22, 2014.
Results
Runoff election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  John F. Thomas |
79.7% | 1,980 | |
| Nonpartisan | John Wells Incumbent | 20.3% | 503 | |
| Total Votes | 2,483 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State, "Official County Results," accessed June 10, 2015 | ||||
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | John F. Thomas |
35.3% | 1,450 | |
| Nonpartisan | John Wells Incumbent |
27.6% | 1,134 | |
| Nonpartisan | John "Bart" Steed | 26.6% | 1,093 | |
| Nonpartisan | Victor Morales | 10.4% | 429 | |
| Total Votes | 4,106 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State, "Official County Results," accessed June 10, 2015 | ||||
Funding
Wells reported $6,546.00 in contributions and $6,546.00 in expenditures to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, leaving his campaign with no cash on hand as of May 16, 2014.[2]
Endorsements
Wells received no official endorsements in this election.
Campaign themes
2014
Wells explained his themes for the 2014 campaign in an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer:
| “ |
Should the school district divide into three regions -- east, west and central -- as proposed by the superintendent? Superintendent David Lewis has proposed the school district be administered through three districts, thereby decentralizing decision making while providing greater coordination of resources through the most efficient and effective method. His proposal should make better use of personnel with a greater focus on student improvement. Should every school have the exact same resources? Every school should have the exact same resources. However, there are federal and state funding sources that are targeted to certain groups of children. Title One for instance, is a program targeted toward economically disadvantaged students and by law can only be used to benefit that group of students. Therefore unless the law specifically states otherwise, the resources should be the same. Was the school board right to vote against then-superintendent Susan Andrews' appointments in May 2012? It is incumbent upon a superintendent to provide timely answers to board members' questions concerning proposals being made at a board meeting. Clear answers eliminate uncertainty and confusion about the proposal. When all questions are answered satisfactorily to the individual board member, they will vote yes or no. Each board member has only one vote and should vote according to their knowledge and understanding of the proposal. If elected, will you support another special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST)? The school district has options to increase revenue for the operation of the district. One is to raise property taxes. We haven't had a property tax increase in 17 years. I will not support an increase in property taxes on homeowners in Muscogee County. Another option is the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). If needs arise that necessitate additional funding for building, remodeling or additions to schools, then the SPLOST is available. The needs assessment and funding requirement is calculated. A dollar amount is determined and must be approved by the voters. A SPLOST only lasts five years. The good part is shoppers from outside our county help us pay for our school improvements. I would support a SPLOST if necessary. Should the school district open up the bidding process for law firms? I always support the open bidding process for all contractual work for the Board of Education. According to state law, the superintendent is authorized to propose and recommend the hiring of a law firm to represent the MCSD. The selection of a law firm to represent the District with all the varied state, federal and local laws specific to school and education law is a complex decision. I believe all interested firms should be afforded the opportunity to bid on this work. I do however support local companies. |
” |
| —Ledger-Enquirer, (2014) | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "John + Wells + Muscogee + County + Schools + Georgia"
See also
- Muscogee County School District, Georgia
- Muscogee County School District elections (2014)
- Flurry of school board elections heading to ballots in Georgia, New York
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ledger-Enquirer, "Q&A with Muscogee County School Board District 2 candidates," April 21, 2014
- ↑ Department of the Columbus, Georgia Consolidated Government, "Campaign Finance Disclosures," accessed May 16, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| 2014 Muscogee County School District Elections | |
| Muscogee County, Georgia | |
| Election date: | May 20, 2014 |
| Candidates: | District 2: • Victor Morales • John "Bart" Steed • John F. Thomas • John Wells District 4: • Naomi Buckner |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
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