As the political season heats up, KVSH Radio hosted a candidate forum for Valentine Community Schools Board of Education Monday evening at Mid Plains Community College in Valentine. Four of the six candidates participated: Incumbents Jo Hand and Shane Kime and challengers James Ward and Lyndee Elliott. Two other challengers Byron Burdick and Michelle Kluender were not able to participate. The candidates were asked a series of questions, some submitted by the candidates themselves and others from KVSH or the public. On the subject of challenges facing the schools, answers varied from aging infrastructure, finding and keeping good teachers and budget compensating for inflation. All the candidates at some time talked about accountability to students, parents, staff and tax payers. Kime would be vying for a third term and has experience on budgets and staffing, Hand will be going for a second term and would like to serve the community for another 4 years on the board.. Ward expressed a desire to be an advocate for parents and students while watching the budget and Elliott wants to be involved and would be open to parents and taxpayers as a fiscal conservative. Ballots will be mailed out this week for the general election. KVSH had planed to hold a city council forum on Wednesday evening but a glitch with open meeting laws will have to push that back until possibly next week. Stay tuned for details.
School Board Candidate Forum
