Eight petitions out for Granville Board of Education

By Derek Liebig

Voters in the Granville school district could have plenty of choices for the Board of Education when they enter the polls next month.

According to district officials eight potential candidates have acquired petitions to be included on May’s ballot. The candidacy of those eight individuals isn’t official, however, until the petitions have been completed and returned to the district office.

The deadline to submit a petition to be included as a candidate for the board is 5 p.m. on Monday, April 20.

As of Tuesday, only one candidate, Shirley Kunen, had submitted a completed petition. Kunen was one of a handful of candidates who was considered last year to fill a vacancy on the board. That vacancy was ultimately filled by Jo-Lynn Bartholomew.

At stake on this year’s ballot are four seats. The terms of Nekia Torres, John McDermott and Dan Nelson are up for grabs. A fourth spot, currently occupied by Bartholomew, will also be determined next month.

Bartholomew was appointed late last year to fill a vacant seat created by the resignation of Kevin Ely, who said he was moving out of the district. The board appointed Bartholomew to the position through the elections next month.

At the time, Eric Scribner, board president, said one of the reasons Bartholomew was chosen was because she intended to run for a full term and there was concern among some board members that other candidates would not emerge.

The three candidates who receive the most votes in next month’s election will each receive a three-year term beginning on July 1. The candidate who receives the fourth most votes will fill the remainder of the term currently occupied by Bartholomew.

That term has one year remaining and will be included on next year’s ballot. The person who wins that seat will take their position on the board immediately following the election.

Also on next month’s ballot will the district’s proposed 2015-16 budget. The $23.5 million spending plan is projected to increase the tax levy by 1.11 percent, the highest allowable under the state’s tax cap.

Officials will likely use nearly $562,000 in fund balance to cover the gap between expenses and revenues.

The board is expected to review and approve the budget during its next board meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21.

The budget vote and election of board of education members will be held from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19.