Two other area school millage requests pass
6/15/01
J-ad Graphics News Service


Two school districts had races Monday and two didn't in Barry County
area school elections outside of Hastings.

There also were a couple of millage requests approved, in Lakewood
and Thornapple Kellogg.

The following is a brief sketch of election results for the TK,
Lakewood, Delton Kellogg and Maple Valley school districts:

Thornapple Kellogg

Scott Kiel was elected handily to one four-year seat on the Board of
Education. He polled 301 votes to defeat the other challenger, John
Howarth, who had 109.

Kiel will take over the seat that will be vacated at the end of this
month by Jean Ray, who decided against seeking another term.

Meanwhile, millage proposal to restore the maximum
non-homestead property tax levy of 18 mills was approved by a vote
of 301 to 118.

Lakewood

Tom Possehn Jr. and Robert D. Hyvarinen won the two open seats
on the school board. Six names appeared on the ballot.

Possehn collected 995 votes and Hyvarinen had 820.

Others receiving votes were Stephen M. Louthan with 442, Gary
Mattson 332, Lynda King 197 and Jeff Stalter 119.

King waged a write-in campaign and Stalter declared he was no
longer a candidate, but was too late to have his name removed from
the ballot. In an unusual twist, he placed advertisements in the
Lakewood News asking voters not to support him.

The millage proposal to restore the maximum non-homestead,
18-mill levy, thereby by overriding the provisions of the Headlee
Amendment, was approved in a vote of 885 to 681.

The two seats were vacated last fall by the resignations of Ramona
Stambaugh and Dennis Smith. Stalter and Possehn then were
appointed to fill the vacancies until June 30.

Maple Valley

Two candidates, both incumbents, were running unopposed. Wayne
Curtis garnered 75 votes and Allison Avery had 69.

Delton Kellogg

The two incumbents, Sharon Boyle and Paul Hughes, were re-elected
without opposition. Hughes polled 94 votes and Boyle had 90.