Skip to main content

Schools, towns to see contests at 2016 polls

Subhead
Four local school boards have more candidates than available open seats; mayor races in Beaver Creek and Hardwick
By
Lori Sorenson i

The filing period closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, for candidates interested in running for upcoming school board, small cities and some township elections.
Rock County Auditor Treasurer Ashley Kurtz has received final information from those offices, and is finalizing candidates for the Nov. 8 General Election ballots.
 
School boards
In the Luverne School District, four people are seeking election to three open four-year seats on the board.
Incumbents Shelley Sandbulte and Colleen Deutsch filed, as did challengers Tim Jarchow and Kenny Rolling. Incumbent David Riphagen did not file for re-election.
In the Hills-Beaver Creek District, board members up for re-election this year are Amie Fick, James Kueter and Karin Moser.
Six people are seeking election to three open four-year terms on the board.
Fick and Moser filed for re-election to the board and are joined by four challengers, Blake Wysong, Beaver Creek; Tami Rauk, Beaver Creek; Kari Kueter and Tim Bosch, rural Hills.
In Adrian, four people are seeking election to three four-year seats on the board. Those seats are currently held by Mark Lonneman, David Bullerman and Lisa Kruger. Those three incumbents filed for re-election and are joined by challenger Keith Sieve.
Ellsworth also has three four-year seats that will be open for election. Current board members in those positions are Cliff Schilling, Jeff Boltjes and Mike Werner.
Boltjes filed for re-election and is joined by challengers Randy Buntjer, Rebecca Dreesen and Lindsay Jenniges.
 
Small cities
Candidates for mayor and council in small cities in Rock County had until Aug. 16 to file. (The city of Luverne’s filing period closed May 31.)
In Steen, Mayor Mel Van Batavia and councilmen Marlin Elbers and Mark Kruger will be up for election. They all filed for re-election and have no challengers.
In Magnolia, Mayor Dennis Madison and council members Robert Somnis and Mary Smook all filed for re-election. Jeffery T. DeGroot also filed for council.
In Kenneth, Mayor Del Gangestad and councilman David Groen filed for re-election, and Paul Tweet filed for the seat that will be vacated by Nora Halverson who did not file.
In Jasper, Mayor Mike Baustian is running uncontested for re-election and council seats held by Lisa Rodman and Karen Damman are open for election. Damman filed for re-election, and Marty Hilfers and Kim Lape are also seeking election to the Jasper council.
There is no race in the city of Hills, where Mayor Keith Elbers and councilman Brian Sandbulte filed for re-election. Ross Metzger filed for the seat held by Brad Berkhof, who did not file for re-election.
In Hardwick, there’s a race for mayor between incumbent Janyce Baustian and challenger Willy Baker.
Councilwomen Carey Teunissen and Crystal Swenson did not file for re-election, and Lowell Schelhaas and Richard Hubbling filed for those two open four-year seats. Tom Haas filed for the two-year seat.
In Beaver Creek, there’s a race for mayor between incumbent Jamie Dysthe and challenger Cathy Schroeder.
When Mayor Carolyn DeBoer passed away Sept. 16, 2015, councilman Dysthe was appointed mayor, and Josh Boomgaarden was appointed to Dysthe’s council seat.
No one filed for that open seat, but Alan Harnack is running unopposed for re-election to another four-year term.
 
Townships
Battle Plain Township clerk Mark Vander Pol and supervisor Greg Talsma are running unopposed for re-election.
Denver Township clerk Richard Hubbling and chairman Kyle Hemme are up for election. Hemme filed for re-election, but no one filed to fill the clerk seat.
Vienna Township clerk Doug Eeten and supervisor Larry Tweet filed for re-election. Brian Jonas also filed for supervisor.
Rose Dell Township clerk Wayne Uilk and supervisor Elroy Deschepper are up for election in November, but no one filed for those seats.
Martin Township supervisor David Swanson’s seat is open. No one filed for that seat or for township clerk.
The Rock County townships of Springwater, Mound, Magnolia, Luverne, Beaver Creek, Clinton and Kanaranzi held elections in March.
Election information is available at the Rock County Auditor, 283-5060, or at candidates.sos.state.mn.us

You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.