Spokane School Board incumbents Haynes, Ziehnert decline to run for new terms
Capping an extraordinary week of election filings, Spokane Public Schools board President Jerrall Haynes has decided not to seek re-election to another six-year term.
“I think it’s time for me to start serving the community in different ways,” Haynes said Friday afternoon as the filing period closed.
“But I feel good about where the district is now and where it’s going to be,” Haynes said.
A second incumbent, Aryn Ziehnert, also declined to run for the seat she was appointed to last year.
Those decisions guarantee a major change next year in the composition of the board of directors.
When new terms begin in December, the five-member board will have a combined 10 years’ experience. Mike Wiser, who was appointed in the spring of 2017 and then elected in his own right later that year, will be the senior member.
By the close of the filing period Friday, the two positions had drawn a combined 13 candidates, including eight for Haynes’s Position 3 seat and five for Ziehnert’s spot for Position 5.
Ziehnert was appointed in September of 2020 following the resignation of Kevin Morrison.
A lecturer in the psychology department at Eastern Washington University, Ziehnert did not respond to a request for a comment on her decision not to run.
Haynes was elected to the board in 2015, defeating three-term incumbent Rocky Treppiedi in a major upset.
Elected board president in December 2019, Haynes has presided over an eventful 16 months at the district. In addition to the pandemic, board members have dealt with the contentious stadium issue, redrawing school boundaries and the decision to ask voters for a levy, which voters approved overwhelmingly.
“There’s been a lot of heavy lifting,” Haynes said. “But I feel good about the work we’ve done.”
Haynes gave no other reasons for declining to run. However, as filing week wore on, Haynes said he couldn’t help but notice the growing list of candidates.
“I’m not sure I would have won anyway,” Haynes said.
The eight candidates for Haynes’ seat are Kenneth Cameron, Richard Cangelosi, Melissa Bedford, Darryl Johnson, Karina Hernandez, Daryl Geffken, Andrew Mendez and Jake Leadingham.
In the running for Ziehnert’s position are Riley Smith, Rion Ametu, Carstian Dehle-Jones, Kata Dean and Culzean Fairley.
The primary is scheduled for Aug. 3. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election on Nov. 2.
The Central Valley School District also will have two new members after incumbents Tom Dingus and Mysti Reneau declined to seek new four-year terms.
Three people – Pam Orebaugh, Jared VonTobel and Ron Linebarger – have filed for Renau’s seat in District 5. Teresa Landa was the only candidate to file to Dingus’ position.
In the Mead School District, board President Chad Burchard will be unopposed for a four-year term. District 5 incumbent Carmen Green has one challenger in BrieAnne Gray.
Board candidates
Central Valley School Board
District 2: Teresa (Tere) Landa
District 5: Jared VonTobel, Rob Linebarger, Pam Orebaugh
Reardan-Edwall School Board
Director No. 1: Simon Butterfield
Director No. 3: Jennifer (Dougherty) Cox
Director No. 5: Ryan Clouse
Cheney School Board
District 1: Marcie Estrellado, Mark L. Scott
District 2: Suzanne G. Dolle, Chad Smith, Zachary Zorrozua
Deer Park School Board
District 2: Rebecca Fouts
District 3: Lindsay Lofstrom
East Valley School Board
District: 1: Theresa Noack
District 3: Justin Voelker, Emelie Braxton, Carolyn Petersen
District 4: Jonathan Horsley
District 5: Mike Bly
Freeman School Board
District 2: Ed Cashmere
District 4: Neil J. Fuchs
Great Northern School Board
Position 4: Lynn Scharff
Position 5: Mary Patrick
Liberty School Board
District 1: Stephanie Stout
District 2: Chad Denny
District 3: R. Chad Cornmesser
District 4: Jeremy Engle
Mead School Board
District 1: Chad Burchard
District 5: BrieAnne Gray, Carmen Green
Medical Lake School Board
District 1: Leo Spilker
District 5: Wendy Williams-Gilbert
Newport School Board
Director No. 1: Rick Hughes, Jeff Sloan
Director No. 2: Larry Sauer, Tamara Newman
Nine Mile Falls School Board
Position 4: Kyle J Yancey
Position 5: Greg Flemming, Elise McCrorie
Orchard Prairie School Board
Position 1: J. Rod Sprague
Position 2: Naomi Lathrum
Riverside School Board
District 1: Gary Vanderholm
District 3: Joslyn James
Rosalia School Board
District 3: Frank G. Lazcano Sr.
District 5: Heather Smith
St. John School Board
District 1: John Hergert
District 2: Melissa Edminster
Position 5: Robert Taylor, Micah Armstrong Lupo
Spokane School Board
Position 3: Kenneth M. Cameron, Richard Cangelosi, Melissa Bedford, Darryl E. Johnson, Karina Hernandez, Daryl Geffken, Andrew Mendez, Jake Leadingham
Position 5: Riley Smith, Rion Ametu, Corstian Dehle-Jones, Kata Dean, Culzean Fairley
Tekoa School Board
District 2: Mary Marsh
District 4: Jacque Hoffman
West Valley School Board
District 1: Jeannette Soliai, Dan Hansen
District 2: Robert N. Dompier
District 5: Pam McLeod