Two Seats Open At East Valley

Three people are vying for an open seat on a Spokane Valley school board.

Although two of the five positions on the East Valley School Board are open, only one is contested - meaning more than two people are running - in Tuesday’s primary.

The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election in November.

Three people - a homemaker, a land surveyor and the district’s former maintenance supervisor - are running for District 1 director. Brenda Lobdell, who has held that position for nine years, decided not to run for re-election.

Three-year board member Tim Wick is running unopposed for the other open position.

Candidate Emon Olson, a land surveyor who is married and has children who attend East Valley High School, declined an interview through his wife.

Marie Francis said she is running for the school board because she has four children in the district. “I’m really quite aware of a lot of the issues and a lot of the needs,” she said.

At the top of the list, she said, is passing bonds and levies to ease overcrowding in the schools. Reducing overcrowding also can help combat gang and violence problems, she said.

Francis has volunteered in her children’s classrooms and accompanied their school orchestras on piano. In her spare time, she studies psychology. Francis wants to ensure that each child’s needs are being met - physically, psychologically and socially.

Donald Glaser believes this is an exciting time in education, and he wants to be a part of it.

“I think there’s a great opportunity. (The district) is growing by leaps and bounds,” said Glaser, who was employed by East Valley as maintenance supervisor for six years before being laid off due to a district reorganization.

Glaser said his “internal expertise” and knowledge of the district will be of great service to him on the board. One thing that’s desperately needed, he said, is remodeling in several elementary schools, particularly Trent Elementary.

“And I’m familiar with it,” Glaser said. “I have that insight of what’s been going on for the last six years.”

But remodeling is impossible without money. Glaser stressed the need to pass bonds and levies to support the district’s projects.

, DataTimes MEMO: See individual profiles by name of candidate. (There is no individual profile for Emon Olson.)