Few disagreements at forum featuring 12 candidates

By Tanner Kent

LAKE CRYSTAL — Even with nine candidates in attendance, the table during Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial’s School Board forum won’t be as crowded as Tuesday’s ballot.

The LCWM School Board has four open seats — three four-year terms and one two-year — to be decided on Election Day. And with a total of 12 candidates on the ballot, LCWM’s race is among the most hotly contested, at least numerically, in this area and throughout the state.

Wednesday’s forum, however, was characterized by strength in numbers as candidates came to very few disagreements. Discussion topics included the impending replacement of Supt. Les Norman, potential budget reductions, balance in extra-curricular activities and state funding.

But the tenor of the forum, conducted in question-and-answer style, was marked by a desire to continue the district’s recent successes.

Incumbents Shawn Schacherer and Marc Kocina both discussed the need to continue the board’s positive steps toward fiscal responsibility and creating student opportunities. In an era of open enrollment, Schacherer said the board needs to continue making LCWM a “sought after” district. Kocina, who applies a business perspective to schools, said the district has come a long way in four years.

“We’ve gotten out of statutory operating debt and into a budget surplus,” said Kocina, who also proposed unconventional measures such as a four-day week in opposition to further program and classroom cuts.

With so many at the table, not all candidates chose to answer every question — except the one posed about the impending replacement of current Supt. Les Norman. With job of superintendent becoming increasingly political in the face of constant referendums and funding debates, the necessary leadership qualities for the position drew diverse response.

Linda Leiding said a superintendent should help “excite, attract and retain” good teachers while John Hutchens, who strongly advocated vocational education, stressed the need for a “common-sense” approach to management. Anthony Jacobs asked for a leader with “political connectivity,” both locally and abroad. Kent Franklin, who has been through a superintendent search as a teacher in St. James and has extensive experience in state and national science initiatives, said a superintendent has to be “willing to lobby” at all legislative levels.

Robert Schroeder, a substitute teacher and coach with LCWM, said he would like to see a superintendent that is a “salesman ... someone who is out in the community.” Charlie Balstad, who stressed accountability in his remarks, said a superintendent should “be able to put plans and ideas into action.”

On the issue of school funding, candidates seemed to agree that there is a disparity between metro and outstate school funding.

Kocina said funding formulas need to be made simpler. Franklin said comprehensive funding reform will be unlikely with a state budget deficit, but he also said a good start would be counting all students as one pupil unit (currently, all students are weighted according to a complex set of measures). Jacobs, who along with Franklin is a former city council member, said the quickest way to increase funding is to increase enrollment:

“With business, comes jobs. And jobs bring families and kids.”

Kelly Hoeft, who also works as an LWCM bus driver, said she’d like to provide more opportunities for kids, including dances and social functions. She also proposed an academic booster club to help equalize funding for non-athletic activities.

“I’m just a normal Joe,” said Hoeft, whose conjuration of the now-famous plumber with matching moniker prompted a few chuckles from the dozens in attendance.

Candidates not in attendance included Tom Curtis, Tom Christian and Rick Banke. All three, however, will be on the ballot.