Jeffrey Gassenhuber
Jeffrey Gassenhuber was a member of the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education At-large in Wisconsin. Gassenhuber assumed office in 2018.
Gassenhuber ran for election to the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education At-large in Wisconsin. Gassenhuber won in the general election on April 3, 2018.
Biography
Gassenhuber graduated from Oak Creek High School in 1987. He is the owner of a small business in Oak Creek. He also worked as the superintendent of field operations for Sweeney Well Drilling for 27 years.[1] Gassenhuber serves with the Racine County 4-H program and is a member of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. He previously served as president of the Milwaukee County Farm Bureau. He shares guardianship of an orphaned teenager.[2]
Elections
2018
Three of the seven seats on the Oak Creek-Franklin School District Board of Education in Wisconsin were up for at-large general election on April 3, 2018. Incumbent Kathleen Borchardt did not file for re-election, leaving one open seat. Incumbent Sheryl Cerniglia and newcomers Jeffrey Gassenhuber and Leah Schreiber Johnson defeated incumbent Darin Grabowski and candidates Sean Kingston and Thomas Kroon in the general election. A primary election was held on February 20, 2018, after more than two candidates filed per seat. Juli Murphy and Jeffrey Sischo did not advance to the general election.[3][4][5]
General election
General election for Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education At-large (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education At-large on April 3, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jeffrey Gassenhuber (Nonpartisan) | 19.2 | 2,846 |
| ✔ |  | Leah Schreiber Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 18.8 | 2,786 |
| ✔ |  | Sheryl Cerniglia (Nonpartisan) | 18.8 | 2,783 |
| Darin Grabowski (Nonpartisan) | 15.3 | 2,270 | ||
| Sean Kingston (Nonpartisan) | 14.5 | 2,146 | ||
 | Thomas Kroon (Nonpartisan) | 13.5 | 1,997 | |
| Total votes: 14,828 | |||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education At-large (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the primary for Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education At-large on February 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeffrey Gassenhuber (Nonpartisan) | 17.0 | 1,437 |
| ✔ | | Sheryl Cerniglia (Nonpartisan) | 16.7 | 1,406 |
| ✔ | | Leah Schreiber Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 15.9 | 1,337 |
| ✔ | Darin Grabowski (Nonpartisan) | 11.9 | 1,003 | |
| ✔ | Sean Kingston (Nonpartisan) | 11.7 | 990 | |
| ✔ | | Thomas Kroon (Nonpartisan) | 9.5 | 805 |
| Juli Murphy (Nonpartisan) | 8.8 | 739 | ||
| Jeffrey Sischo (Nonpartisan) | 8.5 | 717 | ||
| Total votes: 8,434 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
2016
Four of the seven seats on the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education were up for at-large general election on April 5, 2016. A primary election was held on February 16, 2016, to narrow the field of candidates from 13 down to eight.[6] Incumbent Frank Carini and challengers Veronica Baricevic, Joshua Borzick, Jeffrey Gassenhuber, Darin Grabowski, Elizabeth Sparks, Amy Mlot, and Beth Waschow won the primary election.[7][8] They faced off again in the general election, where Carini, Sparks, Grabowski, and Mlot were elected to the board.[9]
Two of the four seats on the ballot were up for election to regular three-year terms. The other two seats were on the ballot in order to increase the size of the board from five members to seven. Carini and Sparks, the top two vote-getters, won three-year terms. Grabowski, who came in third place, won a two-year term, and fourth-place candidate Mlot won a one-year term.[7][9]
Incumbent Jonathan Jossart and challengers Rosemarie Annonson, Sean Kingston, Thomas Kroon and Gregory Loreck were defeated in the primary election.[7][8]
Results
| Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District, At-Large General and Special Elections, 3-, 2- and 1-year terms, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Frank Carini Incumbent |
17.20% | 5,131 |
| Elizabeth Sparks |
13.16% | 3,926 |
| Darin Grabowski |
12.42% | 3,705 |
| Amy Mlot |
11.78% | 3,514 |
| Jeffrey Gassenhuber | 11.44% | 3,412 |
| Joshua Borzick | 11.34% | 3,382 |
| Beth Waschow | 11.30% | 3,371 |
| Veronica Baricevic | 10.86% | 3,241 |
| Write-in votes | 0.51% | 153 |
| Total Votes | 29,835 | |
| Source: Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District, "Official Results of the General Election," April 11, 2016 | ||
| Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District, At-Large Primary Elections, 3-, 2- and 1-year terms, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Frank Carini Incumbent |
14.74% | 1,629 |
| Joshua Borzick |
9.20% | 1,017 |
| Veronica Baricevic |
9.14% | 1,010 |
| Beth Waschow |
9.08% | 1,003 |
| Amy Mlot |
8.10% | 895 |
| Darin Grabowski |
7.98% | 882 |
| Jeffrey Gassenhuber |
7.85% | 868 |
| Elizabeth Sparks |
7.19% | 795 |
| Gregory Loreck | 7.10% | 785 |
| Jonathan Jossart Incumbent | 6.70% | 741 |
| Rosemarie Annonson | 5.94% | 656 |
| Sean Kingston | 3.56% | 394 |
| Thomas Kroon | 3.41% | 377 |
| Total Votes | 11,052 | |
| Source: Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District, "Official results for spring primary," February 22, 2016 | ||
Funding
Gassenhuber filed an exemption statement detailing he would not spend or receive more than $2,000 toward his campaign. Because of this, he did not have to file additional campaign finance reports for this election.[10][11]
Campaign themes
2018
Journal Sentinel questionnaire
Gassenhuber participated in the following survey conducted by Journal Sentinel. The questions provided by Journal Sentinel are bolded, and Gassenhuber's responses follow below.
The school district is set to embark on a series of energy-efficiency projects totaling nearly $17.5 million. Do you agree with the scope of improvements and dispute that spending did not go to referendum?
| “ | While I agree that there are maintenance issues in some schools that need to be addressed, the decision to spend $17.5 million should have been put to a referendum and voted on by the citizens of Oak Creek. Referendums play a vital role in a citizen’s voice in their government.[12][13] | ” |
| —Jeffrey Gassenhuber, 2018 | ||
Should public education mainly be a resource for general education or should it take on a more aggressive role in vocational job training?
| “ | Today, companies not only look for proper education, but for students to possess skills for the professions they are applying to. To better prepare our students for their careers, we need to provide them with skills related to their profession.[12][13] | ” |
| —Jeffrey Gassenhuber, 2018 | ||
2016
Yes for Oak Creek Schools candidate profile
The group Yes for Oak Creek Schools published candidate profiles on its website. Gassenhuber's answers to the group's questions can be found below. The bolded text indicates the questions provided by Yes for Oak Creek Schools.
| “ | WHY ARE YOU SEEKING SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE AT THIS TIME? I was very concerned in recent events and actions of the school board with regards to the school redistricting and actions regarding highly respected employee at the High School. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PRIORITIES AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER? |
” |
| —Jeffrey Gassenhuber (2016)[1] | ||
Oak Creek Now candidate survey (general election)
Oak Creek Now asked the candidates in the general election the following two bolded questions. Gassenhuber's responses are shown below.
Last summer, the school board agreed to spend $4.5 million to build a new auditorium "shell." How would you, as a board member, propose raising the additional $4 million needed to complete the project?
| “ | I find it troubling that the majority of the school board seems to think that referendums in our community don't matter. By circumventing the wishes of the majority of voters, the school board has put future operating budgets at risk. Shortfalls will be funded with additional borrowing. The only feasible way to complete the auditorium will be through a referendum. This puts voters in a precarious position of ever having the facility completed.[13] | ” |
| —Jeffrey Gassenhuber (2016)[2] | ||
The school board has been criticized in the past for not being transparent enough. Do you agree? If so, how would you improve the district's relationship with the community?
| “ | I agree completely that the school board and the administration have not been transparent enough. The district should use social media, the local paper, and the district website to better inform the public on major issues in the future. By the board not being proactive in the past, many people have come to question actions of the board and administration. Public input and involvement will benefit the students, staff, and the district moving forward.[13] | ” |
| —Jeffrey Gassenhuber (2016)[2] | ||
Oak Creek Now candidate survey (primary election)
Oak Creek Now asked the candidates in the primary race the following two bolded questions. Gassenhuber's responses are shown below.
Why are you running for a seat on the school board?
| “ | I was very concerned in recent events and actions of the school board with regard to the school redistricting and actions regarding highly respected employee at the high school.[13] | ” |
| —Jeffrey Gassenhuber (2016)[14] | ||
What is one major change you would like to see within the district?
| “ | Improve communications and accountability between school board and the public. The school district has recently started two new building projects requiring about $55 million in borrowed funds. There will be considerable challenge in the coming years with the operating budgets. I will scrutinize the pros and cons of future expenditures.[13] | ” |
| —Jeffrey Gassenhuber (2016)[14] | ||
See also
- Oak Creek-Franklin School District, Wisconsin
- Oak Creek-Franklin School District elections (2018)
- Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District elections (2016)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Yes for Oak Creek Schools, "Candidate Profile: Jeff Gassenhuber," accessed January 27, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Oak Creek Now, "Oak Creek-Franklin School Board candidates address auditorium funding, district transparency," March 22, 2016
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Candidates line up for Oak Creek, other school board seats in the southern suburbs," January 3, 2018
- ↑ Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, "2018 Election Results - Spring Primary (Unofficial Results)," accessed February 20, 2018
- ↑ Milwaukee County Elections, "Spring Election Unofficial Results," accessed April 3, 2018
- ↑ Oak Creek Franklin Joint School District, "School Board Election Information," January 6, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcandidates - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District, "Official results for spring primary," February 22, 2016
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Milwaukee County Election Commission, "Election Summary Final - Unofficial," accessed April 6, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Campaign Financing," accessed January 25, 2016
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Jill Bebeau, Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District," February 15, 2015
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Journal Sentinel, "Oak Creek-Franklin schools race fueled by no referendum in approved $17.5M energy projects," February 2, 2018
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Oak Creek Now, "Oak Creek-Franklin School Board hopefuls state their views," February 3, 2016
| Oak Creek-Franklin School District elections in 2018 | |
| Milwaukee County, Wisconsin | |
| Election date: | April 3, 2018 |
| Candidates: | At-Large: Incumbent, Sheryl Cerniglia • Incumbent, Darin Grabowski • Jeffrey Gassenhuber • Sean Kingston • Thomas Kroon • Juli Murphy • Leah Schreiber Johnson • Jeffrey Sischo |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
| 2016 Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Elections | |
| Milwaukee County | |
| Election date: | April 5, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Frank Carini • Incumbent, Jonathan Jossart • Rosemarie Annonson • Veronica Baricevic • Joshua Borzick • Jeffrey Gassenhuber • Darin Grabowski • Sean Kingston • Thomas Kroon • Gregory Loreck • Amy Mlot • Elizabeth Sparks • Beth Waschow |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
