The three Bowling Green City Schools Board of Education members who unofficially won on Tuesday have put maintenance and more transparency on their to-do list once they take office in January.
Tracy Hovest was the top unofficial vote getter with 3,875 votes, followed by Stephen Bateson with 3,739 and Howard “Ardy” Gonyer with 3,738.
“I think it’s a testament to the relationships I built over the last four years,” Hovest, the incumbent, said about the win.
“I’m honored and grateful they gave me another four years to work on their behalf,” she said about the voters who supported her.
Putting students first is her priority, she said.
“I’m doing what my constituents want.”
She said there are some perceptions in the community about lack of transparency of the district’s finances.
“Communication and transparency hopefully will continue to be goals of our board moving forward,” she said.
She said the district has improved in those areas, but more work needs to be done.
In addition to the new high school, attention needs to be given to operating funds, she said.
Bateson said being elected is the small part and accomplishing something for the betterment of the kids and the district is much more daunting.
“I’ve always been a proponent of Bowling Green City Schools,” Bateson said.
But his Bobcat Pride has been strained by past leadership and its approach to the district.
“Passing the levy is one step in the equation, but it’s not the only step,” Bateson said. “We’ve got to address the entire organization and not just wait for this high school to be completed.”
He has a 10-item list he wants to start addressing when he joins the board, and number one is maintenance.
“I would like to know what’s on the current work orders we haven’t been able to do or have chosen not to do,” he said.
He wants to learn what is needed at the elementaries to improve the teaching experience – even if it’s something as minor as a new light bulb.
“If it’s something we can do short-term, let’s get it done,” he said. “It’s pretty clear to me we’ve been operating on a pretty minimal maintenance approach.”
The school board should listen to all voices, take those perspectives into account and be more transparent, said Howard “Ardy” Gonyer.
He hopes to “rebuild that trust and heal the divisions within the district.’
He said he felt humbled that the public put its trust in him to lead the district forward and was cautiously optimistic he would retain his winning seat.
Only 11 votes separate the third and fourth spots, according to the unofficial results.
Gonyer said he was cautiously optimistic.
“I hope it’s going to work out in my favor,” he said.
Gonyer said he wants to make sure the high school is as safe as possible during the four years it will take to construct the new school, and there also needs to be a decision of what to do with the elementaries.
Maintenance needs to be a priority, he said, and there needs to be a strategic plan for what’s next.
Gonyer also said he will suggest the district post more documents – especially those being voted on at meetings – on the website.
He applauded Superintendent Ted Haselman and the coffee chats he has been holding and said he would like to see one or two board members attend those or hold their own.
He also supported the idea raised by candidate Joe Edens, who suggested having meetings in the townships.
“That’s a really good idea I’d like the board to look at as well,” Gonyer said.
Peggy Thompson, who is in fourth place, said she is cautiously optimistic and will wait until the board of elections certifies the results.
“I knew it was going to be close, but I didn’t know it was this close,” she said.
“This is the democracy we live in. It’s interesting that we’re all this close. It can still go my way,” she said.
