REGION: Plenty of choices in inland school board elections

By SHAYNA CHABNER - Staff Writer | Friday, August 8, 2008 8:26 PM PDT ∞

NORTH COUNTY ---- The races for seats in nine inland North County school districts got a little clearer Friday.

The filing period for local races and measures on the Nov. 4 ballot closed at 5 p.m. Friday, although the deadline has been extended to Aug. 13 in five of the nine inland school district races because at least one incumbent did not file.

The three inland elementary school districts in North County that will not have an election this fall because only incumbents filed for the open seats are Escondido Union, Fallbrook Union and Bonsall Union, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voter's Web site.

An employee in the registrar's office said Friday workers were too busy accepting and processing last-minute candidate filings to update the list of races posted online earlier in the day. A final list will be posted Monday morning, she said.

Here is how the other races are shaping up:

Escondido Union High: There are four contenders for two 4-year seats on Escondido's high school district board. They are: incumbent Kurt Marler, Bill Durney, Jose Fragozo and George McClure.

Fallbrook Union High: Two candidates, Frank Cerda and Sharon Koehler, are competing for two 4-year seats in the high school district.

Poway Unified: Incumbents Andy Patapow and Linda Vanderveen will be challenged for their seats by Tom Giles and William Gore II.

Ramona Unified: Six challengers will vie for two vacant seats on the board. Both incumbents, Bob Hailey and Chris Smith, are leaving the board. The candidates are: Kim Lasley, Dan Lopez, Mark Lucas, Dawn Perfect, John Rajcic and Joseph Thelin.

San Marcos Unified: Four candidates are running for three 4-year seats on the school board, including incumbent David Horacek.

Trustee Pam Bancells said in July that she would retire. Fellow Trustee Mary Borevtiz, who has sat on the board for 17 years, announced by e-mail Friday that she would step down to "pass the baton of leadership" to someone else.

The three challengers in the race are Jay Petrek, Carlos Ulloa and Randy Walton.

San Pasqual Union: The five candidates for two 4-year seats at the one-school district are incumbent Howard Cottam, Angie Baker, Timothy Cunning, Scott Heidemann and Curtis J. Ohl. There are also two contenders for one 2-year seat: appointed board member Blaise Jackson and Brian Arnold.

Valley Center-Pauma Unified: The three contenders for the two seats on the rural school district's board are Karen Burstein, Babara Rohrer and incumbent Don Martin.

Contact staff writer Shayna Chabner at (760) 740-5416 or schabner@nctimes.com.