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St. Joseph School District elections (2018)

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St. Joseph School District elections
General election date
April 3, 2018
Enrollment ('15-'16)
11,724 students

Three seats on the St. Joseph School District school board in Missouri were up for general election on April 3, 2018. The seats of Larry Koch, Martin Rucker, and Dennis Snethen were up for grabs in this election. Koch was the only incumbent who filed for re-election and faced challengers Lute Atieh, Aaron Duncan, Lorrie Lynn Hollis, David Jordan, Kenneth Reeder, and Seth Wright.[1]

The three winners of this race were sworn in shortly before the contract of the district's new superintendent commences. The school board announced Dr. Doug Van Zyl as the district's new superintendent on February 1, 2018, following Dr. Robert Newhart's announcement in late 2017 that he would retire as the district's superintendent at the end of the 2017-2018 school year.

The district was the subject of a two-year long investigation culminating in prison time for former superintendent Dan Colgan in 2016. Click here to read more.

Candidates

General election

General election for St. Joseph School District school board, At-large (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for St. Joseph School District school board, At-large on April 3, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Seth Wright
Seth Wright (Nonpartisan)
 
22.0
 
6,491
✔
Image of Lute Atieh
Lute Atieh (Nonpartisan)
 
18.4
 
5,445
✔
Image of Larry Koch
Larry Koch (Nonpartisan)
 
15.9
 
4,684
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
David Jordan (Nonpartisan)
 
15.4
 
4,563
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Kenneth Reeder (Nonpartisan)
 
11.3
 
3,351
Image of Lorrie Lynn Hollis
Lorrie Lynn Hollis (Nonpartisan)
 
11.3
 
3,336
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Aaron Duncan (Nonpartisan)
 
5.3
 
1,571
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
104

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 29,545
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign themes

Lute Atieh

Lute Atieh.png

The St. Joseph News Press interviewed the candidates for the 2018 school board election, including Atieh. When asked why he was running for the board, he pointed out that he had originally filed to run for the city council but changed his mind and filed for the school board again, saying he ran for the same reason. "We can't do all this work to attract good business and then ignore the core of our of our [sic] community, which really is the education," he said. "The school system in our town, in our community, really is the core of whether this community is going to be successful or not."[2]

When asked what he felt were the most important issues facing the school district, Atieh said it's time for a new perspective. "Let's look at this as a rebuild, and let's look at it as continuing progress that's been made in the last two years," he said. "Let's decide if we're going to be part of the solution or not, and then move forward." Atieh also said that what set him apart from the other candidates running was a unique blend of experience in both education and business.[2]

Aaron Duncan

When asked why he was running for the board, Duncan said for three reasons: To make sure teachers and students were given the tools they need to teach and learn, to be a good steward of taxpayer funds, and to be an independent voice “for the kids and for the teachers, because that’s what the education is about.”[2] Duncan said he felt the most important issues facing the district were the failure of Proposition 1 and the fact that the district needed to regain the support of the community. “Really, I think that’s the biggest issue, is getting those people involved, getting them to understand what we need to do to grow education to make our kids more successful in the future,” he said.

Duncan also said that his independence set him apart from the other candidates running in the race because he had no ties to past administrations. “I’m really just an independent person that wants to do what’s best for our kids,” he said.[2]

Lorrie Lynn Hollis

Lorrie Hollis.jpg

When asked why she filed for the board, Hollis said, “I want to help. I mean, things are bad, things are bad.” Noting her involvement on several local organizations and boards, like the PTA, the Division of Aging committee and the Fire Emergency committee, Hollis said “this community matters to me. I care about what happens. It really concerns me what’s going on with our schools.”[2]

Hollis said the most important issue the district faced was the need for the community to come together and that everyone should have a voice. “The number one thing is these kids. We need good people that care about the kids,” she said. “That’s probably the number one thing that’s facing this district, is to put these kids first and keep that constantly in mind.” She also stated that her experience working for the district for 20 years was what set her apart from the other candidates. She said she worked for four years at the district's downtown office and as the bookkeeper at Central High School for 16 years.


David Jordan

David JordanMO.jpg

Jordan said he was running for the board for three reasons: to ensure the community's students receive the best education they can, to give a good work environment to staff and rebuild morale, and to restore the trust among the community's taxpayers.

Jordan said the most important issues the district faced were funding, what he called "right-sizing" the district from the perspective of facilities, and rebuilding the community's trust. He pointed to his experience working as a teacher in the district as what set him apart from the other candidates.[2]

Larry Koch

Larry Koch.jpg

When asked why he wanted to be on the board, Koch said he had something to offer with his experience as a board member. He said he understands the problems but also how to “bring boards and commissions and people together to research problems, to reach a consensus, to search out the very best idea.”[2]

Koch said the most important issue the board faced was community trust. He also noted the district's finances and ways to streamline the district's budget while also improving what he said was “the education benefit for the students.” When asked what set him apart from the other candidates, Koch said it was his experiences working with many people and committees. “It’s not always easy when you’re working with a group of people to reach a consensus, but my belief is when a group decides on something, then the entire group should support it,” he said.[2]

Kenneth Reeder

Responding to the question why he wanted to be on the board, Reeder said he was particularly motivated when he saw that fellow candidate Seth Wright had filed. He also stated he's been involved in what he called "this fight" since 2009, when he fought against a ballot measure. “I’ve been ostracized, derided by the most elite group of people in this town … but I’ve stayed with the fight,” he said.

Reeder also said his priority objectives as a board member would be fighting for taxpayers and teachers, and that "people that are underpaid and underappreciated notoriously in this district." When asked what set him apart from the other candidates, he replied that he would be the watchdog on the board; “somebody who is going to raise their hand and take the bullets. There’s not much else I can prove along that line.”[2]

Seth Wright

Seth Wright.png

Wright said he wanted to be on the board for two reasons. The first reason he gave was that the community is at a crossroads and the most important issue was the district. He said two paths were before the district, with one leading down a spiral of decline and the other leading to “one of the best school districts in the state of Missouri.” Wright's second reason for running was so his own children could have what he called “the best educational opportunities.” “But it’s not just about my kids," he said. "It’s about all the kids in the St. Joseph School District."

Wright said the most important issue facing the district was a leadership problem in both the board and administration. “I think both of those problems have to be fixed for this school district to move forward,” he said. He also pointed out what he called a “lack of vision or planning from the school district” and that both a short- and long-term plan are necessary. Wright said he stood out from the other candidates because of his business background as well as his fatherhood to school-age children.[2]

Timeline

  • April 3, 2018: Election Day
  • March 28, 2018: Absentee ballot application deadline
  • March 7, 2018: Voter registration deadline
  • January 16, 2018: Candidate filing deadline

Issues

Superintendent search

St. Joseph School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Newhart announced in late 2017 that he would be retiring at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. Soon after, the school board launched a search for a superintendent to replace him effective July 1, 2018.[3] On February 1, 2018, the board announced it hired Dr. Doug Van Zyl as the district's new superintendent.[4]

Context of the election

2016

Board member resignation

Bruder joins board after compensation controversy leads to resignation

As a result of the controversy surrounding his actions and his compensation during his tenure as district superintendent, school board member Dan Colgan resigned from his position on March 5, 2015. The resignation came after speculation regarding his status, in part because, as an elected member, Colgan could not have been ousted until the 2016 election.[5]

There is no law that allows St. Joseph Board of Education members to be recalled by voters. Colgan sent a resignation letter to St. Joseph Board President Brad Haggard, calling his decision to resign difficult and saying, "I dearly love the St. Joseph School District." The board took applications for the open seat. In an April 2015 board meeting, the board voted unanimously to appoint local business executive Eric Bruder to fill the position.[5] Bruder served the rest of Colgan's term and filed for a full term in 2016. He lost the election by about one percentage point.

Colgan's 71 percent compensation growth during his 14 years as superintendent came to light as the district's budget and payroll practices were scrutinized following a stipend scandal. The district was investigated by both the state and the FBI due to potentially illegal accounting and hiring practices by district administrators.

Federal investigation culminates in prison time for Colgan
To read Ballotpedia's full investigation of the St. Joseph School District, click here.

In conclusion to the two-year long investigation of the St. Joseph School District, Dan Colgan stood before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple in a Kansas City courtroom on June 13, 2016. He faced one count of wire fraud, a federal offense, tied to his improper collection of $660,000 from the Missouri Public School Retirement System (PSRS). Colgan pleaded guilty to the charge after reaching a plea bargain with U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson and served one year and one day in a federal prison facility.[6] Colgan used the internet in his dealings with the PSRS, which meant information was transmitted across state lines as it hit various servers, according to KCUR.[6] This made his actions a federal crime. "Today's criminal felony conviction brings to a conclusion an extensive, thorough investigation into fiscal wrongdoing in the St. Joseph School District. We do not anticipate charges against any additional defendants in the future," stated Dickinson.[6] Colgan reported to prison in September 2016.[6]

More former administrators forced to pay back the Missouri Public School Retirement System

After former superintendent Dan Colgan was ordered to pay back $660,000 to the Missouri Public School Retirement System (PSRS) in unearned benefits, the district continued to investigate its administrators for potential fiscal wrong-doing. Two additional former administrators were tapped in May 2016, to pay a combined $113,000 back to PSRS. Mark Hargens, former district assistant superintendent for personnel, was responsible for the heftiest portion of the settlement: $90,000. Former superintendent Melody Smith, who succeeded Colgan in office, paid back $23,000 saying that the district, "mistakenly included a travel allowance as part of my salary instead of designating it as a benefit."[7] Hargens was unable to comment on his case.

PSRS Executive Director Steve Yoakum reported that the administrators promptly repaid the owed funds once they were made aware. Yoakum also felt that district officials were very cooperative in the investigation efforts. Both Hargens and Smith worked closely with Colgan during their time in the district, however. The professional connection between the three was reminiscent of the ties between Colgan and Fred Czerwonka who were embroiled in another fiduciary scandal in 2015. School board member Chris Danford said of this discovery, "This is limited taxpayer money, and students lost out...What on Earth were they thinking? It's just so sad."[7]

Former superintendent ordered to pay $660,000

A settlement was reached between former St. Joseph School District superintendent Dan Colgan and the Missouri Public School Retirement System (PSRS) in April 2016. Under the terms of the settlement Colgan, who spent his thirty-year career in the district, was ordered to repay $660,000 in undue retirement benefits he collected over a period of six months. A previous investigation revealed that Colgan inflated his salary in order to increase his monthly retirement payment by $2,500. A portion of Colgan's pension was set to be withheld by PSRS until the full $660,000 is repaid to the retirement system and to the school district.[8]

PSRS began looking into Colgan's pension payments in September 2015 after an investigation of fired superintendent Fred Czerwonka uncovered the fraudulent disbursement of $270,000 in stipends to various district administrators. The settlement was the largest in the history of the PSRS, rivaled only by $225,000 owed to the system by the former superintendent of Liberty Public Schools.[8]

About the district

See also: St. Joseph School District, Missouri

The St. Joseph School District is located in Missouri. The district was the 16th-largest school district in the state in the 2014–2015 school year and served 11,842 students.[9]

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in Missouri. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Missouri with 56.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 38.1 percent. In presidential elections between 1820 and 2016, Missouri voted Democratic 60 percent of the time and Republican 36 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Missouri voted Republican all five times.[10]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Missouri. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[11][12]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 43 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 42.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 43 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 42.3 points. Clinton won two districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 120 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 28.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 120 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 39.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


District election history

2016

See also: St. Joseph School District elections (2016)
St. Joseph School District,
At-Large General Election, 3-year terms, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Bryan Green 22.74% 3,145
Green check mark transparent.png Tami Pasley 17.23% 2,382
Eric Bruder Incumbent 16.06% 2,221
Kathy Northup 14.22% 1,967
Art Van Meter 11.43% 1,581
Maggie Elder 6.34% 877
Teresa Simmons 6.20% 857
Sarah Hochschwender 3.00% 415
Michael Dulcan 1.61% 222
John Paul Leo Stehr 0.99% 137
Write-in votes 0.17% 24
Total Votes (100) 13,828
Source: Buchanan County Clerk, "Election Summary Report OFFICIAL," accessed May 3, 2016

2014

See also: St. Joseph School District elections (2014)
St. Joseph School District,
At-Large General Election, 6-year term, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngKappy Hodges 33.9% 8,453
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngLori Prussman 33.8% 8,414
     Nonpartisan Jeff Bird 32.3% 8,055
Total Votes 24,922
Source: Buchanan County, Missouri, "General Municipal Elections Official Results," June 20, 2014

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in Missouri. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Missouri with 56.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 38.1 percent. In presidential elections between 1820 and 2016, Missouri voted Democratic 60 percent of the time and Republican 36 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Missouri voted Republican all five times.[13]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Missouri. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[14][15]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 43 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 42.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 43 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 42.3 points. Clinton won two districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 120 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 28.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 120 out of 163 state House districts in Missouri with an average margin of victory of 39.8 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


See also

St. Joseph School District Missouri School Boards
School Board badge.png
Seal of Missouri.png
School Board badge.png

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 'Buchanan County Board of Elections, "April 3, 2018 - General Municipal," accessed April 5, 2018
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 News-Press Now, "Seven candidates vie for three seats on Board of Education," January 21, 2018
  3. ↑ The Messenger, "Van Zyl a finalist in Missouri search," January 24, 2018
  4. ↑ St. Joseph Post, "St. Joseph Board of Education names Van Zyl as new superintendent," February 1, 2018
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 St. Joseph News-Press, "Eric Bruder chosen as new board member," April 13, 2015
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 KCUR, "Former St. Joseph School Superintendent To Spend A Year In Federal Prison," June 13, 2016
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 KCUR, "More Former St. Joseph Schools Administrators Forced To Repay State Retirement System," May 24, 2016
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 KCUR, "Former St. Joseph Superintendent to Pay Back $660,000," April 26, 2016
  9. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data, file ccd_lea_052_1414_w_0216161a, 2014-2015," accessed November 16, 2016
  10. ↑ 270towin.com, "Missouri," accessed June 29, 2017
  11. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  12. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  13. ↑ 270towin.com, "Missouri," accessed June 29, 2017
  14. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  15. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
St. Joseph School District elections in 2018
Buchanan County, Missouri
Election date:April 3, 2018
Important information:What was at stake?
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