Tuesday, March 25, 1997
Anson school board highly contested
By ROY A. JONES II Senior Staff Writer
ANSON - It didn't take tearing down the old Anson High School
auditorium to bring school board candidates out of the woodwork,
but it may have helped.
Fourteen candidates have filed to run for three seats in the
May 3 school board election.
In many other towns around the Big Country, no one filed for
school boards except the incumbents - and in a few cases, write-ins
will be needed to fill the posts because no one filed.
Since the demolition of the Depression-era auditorium was such
an emotional issue and left the school board in hot water with
a small but vocal group of preservationists, some figured the
election would bring out some "protest" candidates.
Superintendent Roger Huber and longtime board member Luann
Lepard prefer to think Anson has an outstanding school system
and that more and more people simply want to become involved in
operating it.
"I think it's great we have this much interest,"
said Lepard, who is seeking her fourth three-year term. "There
have been years where we had to get out and beg someone to serve."
"A few people may have axes to grind, but I'd rather think
of them as good, solid citizens with genuine concern for our children
and getting them the best education we can provide," she
said.
"Some may think the big turnout is because of the auditorium,
but I don't think so," she said. "None of the candidates
who filed were vocal in protesting the school board's unanimous
decision to demolish the old auditorium to make room for a new
auditorium and band hall.
Huber said it's a good situation to have so many people willing
to serve, and he hopes the campaign will be marked by good ideas.
He attributes the turnout of candidates to two factors, neither
of them the auditorium: "a lot of interest in our schools,
and the new method of voting that takes the risk out of running."
The superintendent referred to the cumulative voting method
that Anson reluctantly adopted several years ago after LULAC filed
suit against the district, claiming the old system discriminated
against minorities.
"Our figures showed we had had blacks and Hispanics on
our board 58 percent of the time. We felt we had a real good case
(to defend), but we chose to spend our $300,000 on new buildings
instead of spending it on legal fees," Huber said.
Because three positions are open, voters may cast three votes
each. The three candidates who receive the most votes will be
elected.
Two challengers who could be contacted Monday said the auditorium
played no part in their decision to run.
Kerry Fortune, director of Ben Richey Boys Ranch, said he had
no complaints with the present board and probably would not have
run had he known incumbent Danny Jiminez, former Anson police
chief, was going to file for re-election on the last day. Fortune,
one of the first to file after Jiminez was dismissed as police
chief, said he saw the opening as an opportunity to serve the
community.
Cory Brown, lab director at the Anson hospital, and Fortune
both said that from what they knew about the auditorium they agreed
with what the board did.
Brown, a 1990 Anson High School graduate, said he hopes his
fellow candidates "have a vision" for the schools.
"Having an ax to grind is a real good way to hurt the
students," he said.
In addition to Lepard and Jimenez, the third incumbent is Fire
Chief Bill Cromeens. The other challengers besides Fortune and
Brown are David Damiano, Eva Garcia, Chip Martin, Steve McLaren,
Pat Seballos, Tim Shields, Tommy Spraberry, Gloria Torres and
E.L. "Bud" Wells.
Anson's city election won't have any many candidates, but both
races are contested.
Incumbent Place 1 councilman Dowell Matthews is being challenged
by Lupe Garcia Sr. and Esmeal Garcia, while incumbent Place 2
councilman Keith Gilbert is being challenged by Lex Myers.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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