by Clarke Davis
More than 30 people filed for public office this past week including a dozen who filed Monday morning prior to the noon deadline, as reported by the Jefferson County Election office.
There are now contests for the office of mayor in Meriden, Valley Falls, and Nortonville as well as races for council seats in Nortonville and Oskaloosa.
Two school districts, Valley Falls and Oskaloosa, failed to attract a candidate for an open position, but a few races for school board seats developed in Jefferson West, Oskaloosa, and Perry-Lecompton.
Those who filed this past week include:
•City mayors: Dana E. Boyer (I), 56, mayor of Meriden; Andy Surritt, 60, mayor of Meriden; Chris Lane, 51, mayor of Nortonville; Dawn Kennedy, 52, mayor of Valley Falls.
•City councils: Patrick D. Bartlett Sr. (I), 73, McLouth; Dorothy Malsbury, 62, Oskaloosa; Laci Heller, 40, Ozawkie; William A. Hansen, 76, McLouth; Steve Horton (I), 61, McLouth; Randall Allen Schneider, 73, Nortonville; Dave Magill, 49, Oskaloosa.
•School boards: Daniel Bahnmaier, 43, Lawrence, USD 343, Perry-Lecompton Pos. 4; Lindsey Trent, 35, Lecompton, USD 343, Perry-Lecompton Pos. 6; Jesse Nickelson (I), 42, USD 338, Valley Falls Pos. 6; Adam Tucker, 44, Grantville, USD 343, Perry-Lecompton Pos. 4; “Bo” Harley Henderson, 41, Meriden, USD 340, Jefferson West Pos. 4; Ryan Soden (I), 41, Perry, USD 343, Perry-Lecompton Pos. 5; Justin Finley (I), 43, Oskaloosa, USD 339, Jefferson County North Pos. 5; Nick Fergus (I), 51, Lecompton, USD 343, Perry-Lecompton Pos. 6; Monica J. Bruna, 41, Meriden, USD 340, Jefferson West Pos. 4; Brandy Farmer, 41, Oskaloosa, USD 341 Oskaloosa Pos. 5; Ken Newell, 70, Oskaloosa, USD 341 Oskaloosa Pos. 6; Daniel Landis, 42, Grantville, USD 343, Perry-Lecompton Pos. 4; Joe Mahon, 47, McLouth, USD 342, McLouth Pos. 2; Elizabeth Folks, 36, Oskaloosa, USD 341 Oskaloosa Pos. 6.
•Improvement district boards:
Martin W. Ross (I), 63, Lakeside Village; Marvin Kopp (I), 62, Lakeshore Estates.
•Drainage districts: Gary Starr (I), 66, Kaw-Delaware; Regina Brown (I), 65, Topeka, Kaw Half Breed; Mark Gantz, 63, Perry, Kaw-Delaware; Diane Shirley, 64, Muddy Creek; Linda Clare Everhart, 72, Shawnee, Kaw Half Breed; Rod Bigham (I), 68, Meriden, Grantville, Muddy Creek, and Kaw Delaware districts;
The General Election is in November and those elected begin their terms shortly after Jan. 1.
The newspaper stands corrected on two matters. Jefferson County Election Officer Julie Dunkle tells us that all candidates must pay a $20 filing fee unless filing by petition. We have been reporting that candidates for drainage districts did not have to pay this fee. Also, we have been omitting that the mayor of Meriden must stand for election this year as it is the only city in the county with a two-year term instead of four.
Following is a list of all offices up for election and the names of those who filed: (I) indicates incumbent:
School districts
USD 338, Valley Falls —
Pos. 4:
Pos. 5: Jesica Clark (I)
Pos. 6: Jesse Nickelson (I)
USD 339, Jefferson County North —
Pos. 4: Raymond Brown
Pos. 5: Justin Finley (I)
Pos. 6: Jim Bodenheimer (I)
USD 340, Jefferson West —
Pos. 4: “Bo” Harley Henderson, Monica J. Bruna
Pos. 5: Matthew Williams (I)
Pos. 6: Kelly Midgley (I)
USD 341, Oskaloosa —
Pos. 2: (Unexpired)
Pos. 4: McKabe O’Neal (I)
Pos. 5: Brandy Farmer
Pos. 6: Ken Newell, Elizabeth Folks
USD 342, McLouth —
Pos. 2: (Unexpired) Joe Mahon
Pos. 4: Tara Garrow (I)
Pos. 5: James Copeland (I)
Pos. 6: Heather A. Coit (I)
USD 343, Perry-Lecompton—
Pos. 2: (Unexpired) Bill Culver (I)
Pos. 4: Adam Tucker, Daniel Bahnmaier, Daniel Landis
Pos. 5: Ryan Soden (I)
Pos. 6: Lindsey Trent, Nick Fergus (I)
Cities
McLouth — Three council seats: William A. Hansen, Steve Horton (I), Patrick D. Bartlett Sr. (I).
Meriden — For mayor: Dana E. Boyer (I), Andy Surritt.
Three council seats: Keith Steele (I).
Nortonville — For mayor: Raymond Brown (I), Dustin Roloff, and Chris Lane.
Two council seats: Jacob Abel, Jack Weishaar, Robert E. Hauk, Steven L. Noll, Mitchell Ellerman, Randall Allen Schneider.
Ozawkie — For mayor: Loren Lutes (I).
Two council seats: Robert L. Fisher (I), Laci Heller.
Oskaloosa — Three council seats: Victoria Edmonds Metzger, Michael Smith (I), Dorothy Malsbury, Dave Magill.
Perry — Three council seats:
Felicity Gorski (I), Jason Phillips (I), and Thomas R. Holroyd.
Valley Falls —
For mayor: Jeanette Shipley (I), Dawn Kennedy.
Two council seats: Brett Dallman (I) and Kevin Loy (I).
Winchester — Three council seats:
Kara Beletsky (I), Katherine J. Defilippis.
Improvement districts
All three directors up for election:
Lakeside Village —
David G. Griffith (I), Martin W. Ross (I)
Lakeshore Estates — Sharon Blankenship (I), Marvin Kopp (I)
Lakewood Hills —
William R. Hutting, Jami Smith (I), Christopher Cain (I)
Meadowlark
Extension
Two board seats from Jefferson County:
Michael McNary (I) and Julie Newman (I).
Drainage districts
Stonehouse —
Kaw-Delaware — Mark Gantz, Gary Starr (I), Rod Bigham
Kaw Half Breed — Regina Brown (I), Linda Clare Everhart
Grantville — Doug Ingenthron (I), Rod Bigham
Muddy Creek — Dennis E. Stanwix, Andrew T. Winsor, Diane Shirley, Rod Bigham