Six candidates register for Oconto Falls School Board

By: 
Warren Bluhm
Editor-in-chief

Six people registered in time to be placed on the ballot for two open positions on the Oconto Falls School Board, meaning a Feb. 15 primary election will be necessary to reduce the field for the April 5 general election.

Meanwhile, three of the candidates also submitted applications for the seat left vacant by Sharon Stodola-Eslien’s resignation last month. The person appointed to the seat will fill the last two months of Stodola-Eslien’s unexpired term.

Chad Early, Carla Hedtke, Robert Kellogg, Ron Leja, Charles O’Harrow and Sarah Schindel submitted nomination papers to run for the two open seats in April. Hedtke, Kellogg and Schindel have also applied to fill the vacant seat. Leja, the longtime board president, is the only incumbent in the mix.

The top four vote-getters in February will square off April 5 for the two open seats.

Board members Jan Stranz, Clint Gardebrecht and Bryan Baumler agreed to coordinate interviews with the applicants, which are expected to take place later this month. Statutes require the board to fill any vacancy within 60 days, which means the new person should be named by Feb. 11, even though she or he would only serve through April.