BY ANDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle
More than one month after Montgomery County voters went to the polls for an election, those same county voters will soon prepare for another election cycle.
The dates for the city council, school board and community college elections are now set with the deadline to file for office to be noon Tuesday, Jan. 27. Should three or more candidates seek the same office, then a primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 3.
A general election will be held on Tuesday, April 7.
Persons interested in filing for any of the city council, school board or college trustee positions listed below can fill out necessary papers at the Montgomery County Clerk’s Office in Independence or at any city hall in Montgomery County.
Listed below are the offices (and their current holders) that will be up for election in the upcoming election cycle.
• USD 436-Caney Valley Board of Education: There are three positions to be decided in the 2009 election cycle. They include the offices now held by Sherry Rackliff (District A, Position 1), Tim Rigdon (District B, Position 3), and a position that was left vacant with the recent resignation of board member David Young (District A, Position 2).
The positions now held by board members Suellen Holtzman, Debbie Morrison, David Deal and Jack Kopfman will not be decided until the 2011 election cycle.
School board members serve four-year terms, which begin in July after their election.
• USD 445-Coffeyville Board of Education: Three members of the USD 445-Cofeyville Board of Education will have their seats decided in the spring 2009 elections. Those positions are now held by Cathy Schald, Helen Ellerman and Jerry Hamm. The positions now held by Larry McGinnis, Gene Brownlee, Denise Gates and Mike Mason will be decided in the 2011 election cycle.
School board members serve four-year terms, which begin in July after their election.
• USD 446-Independence Board of Education: Three members of the USD 446-Independence Board of Education will be up for election in the spring 2009 elections. They are Jeff Chubb, Jim Kelley and Cindi Sherwood. The seats now held by board members Sherry Epp, Tom Schroeder, Carole Farthing, and Marty Reichenberger will not be decided until the spring 2011 election cycle.
School board members serve four-year terms, which begin in July after their election.
• USD 447-Cherryvale Board of Education: There are four positions to be decided in the 2009 election cycle. Those positions are now held by Lance Carter, Tina Cunningham, Bruce Thornton and Gina Booe.
The positions held by board members Sharon Wadman, Cody Smith and Michelle Loganbill will not be decided until the 2011 election cycle.
School board members serve four-year terms, which begin in July after their election.
• Cherryvale City Co
uncil: There are two positions on the Cherryvale City Council to be decided in the 2009 election cycle. They are the seats held by councilors Chad Wickham (ward 1) and Jerry Wallace (ward 2). Wallace indicated at the Cherryvale City Council meeting on Monday night, Dec. 15, that he will not seek re-election to the council.
The positions now held by councilors Randy Wagoner (ward 2) and Kevin Crane (ward 1) as well as Mayor John Wright will not be decided until the 2011 election cycle.
City councilors serve four-year terms, which begin in the first regularly-scheduled meeting following their April election.
• Caney City Council: There are five total positions to be determined in the 2009 election cycle. Those council positions are now held by Ron Wade (ward 1), Joe Taylor (ward 2), Kelly McIntosh (ward 3), and Carol McClure (ward 4). The position of mayor, now held by Dale McBride, will also be decided in the 2009 election.
The positions now held by councilors Erin Munday (ward 1), Penny Coy (ward 2), Jason Moore (ward 3) and Chad Bradford (ward 4) will not be decided until the 2010 election cycle.
City councilors and mayor serve two-year terms. Their terms of service begin at the April council meeting following the general election.
• Coffeyville City Commission: There will be three members on the five-member city commission whose terms of service will expire with the 2009 spring elections. Those positions are now held by Virgil Horn (four-year term), Richard Gonzales (four-year term) and Pam Jones (two-year term). The positions now held by commissioners Alec Hendryx and R.J. Warren will not be decided until the 2011 election cycle.
• Independence City Commission: Two members of the three-member Independence City Commission will face re-election prospects in the 2009 elections. Those two commissioners are Rick Mott and Debra Coy. The commission post now held by Darrel Unruh will not be decided until the 2011 election cycle.
City commissioners serve four-year terms.
• Independence Community College: There will be four positions considered for Independence Community College trustees in the spring 2009 election cycle. Three of those positions are now held by Norman Chambers, Tom Tyler and Dan Dollison. A fourth position is held by Lisa Drumeller. She was appointed in October to the unexpired term of Kevin Kaff. Because more than one-half of Kaff’s term was remaining when Drumeller was appointed to the election, the position will be considered for election to complete the final two years of that position. The position will then revert back to a regular four-year term in 2011.
The positions now held by board members Jay Jones and Kenny Wilson will be decided in the 2011 election cycle
College trustees serve four-year terms, which begin in July following the April election
• Coffeyville Community College: Three members of the CCC board of trustees will have their positions expire in 2009. Those trustees are Blake Allen, Gilmer Nellis and Becky Medley. The positions now held by Buck Walton, Lue Barndollar and Sherri Melander will not expire until 2011.
College trustees serve four-year terms, which begin in July following the April election.
