Four Running For Two Bentonville School Board Seats

Kirsten Johnston
Kirsten Johnston

BENTONVILLE -- Travis Riggs wants to return to the School Board seat he gave up less than a year ago, saying the board has become a "laughingstock" since his departure.

First, he will have to get past the person appointed to replace him.

At A Glance

School Board Elections

School Board elections will be held Sept. 16. The deadline to register to vote in board elections is Aug. 18. Only residents of specific zone may vote in a race. Bentonville School Board’s Zone 5 and Zone 4 seats are up for election this summer. Zone 5 covers a portion of Bentonville’s east side. Zone 4 covers northeast Bentonville.

Source: Staff Report

Riggs and Lisa Clark filed this month to run for election to the board's Zone 5 position. In another race, incumbent Willie Cowgur is opposed by Kirsten Johnston in Zone 4. The election will be Sept. 16.

Fellow board members appointed Clark to the Zone 5 seat in October after Riggs left. Clark said she has no desire to engage in a negative campaign.

"I'm about fiscal responsibility and planning for the future needs of our district," Clark said. "I feel like my contributions can stand on their own merits."

Riggs, 51, served for 11 years before deciding to resign in September, one full year before his term was set to expire.

"I wish I wouldn't have got off," he said. "I just didn't realize it was going to get what I would term 'that bad.' I didn't think it would get to this position, but it has."

The board has refused to accept its role and is getting too bogged down in the day-to-day detail of running the district, Riggs said.

While Riggs has been off the board for about 10 months, he has continued to attend board meetings and occasionally has spoken during time allotted for public comment. In February he attended a meeting during which he expressed displeasure about the possibility the board wouldn't renew Superintendent Michael Poore's contract. At the time he warned Clark he would run against her if she didn't do "the right things" as a board member.

Riggs said this week he disagrees with Clark on some things, but added, "She's still so new. Am I specifically targeting anything she's done? No, I'm not. But I still disagree with some of her actions."

Clark, 47, said she's learned a lot about board work over the past 10 months. As a former instructional assistant at R.E. Baker Elementary School, she's the only board member who used to work for the district.

"I have brought a unique voice to the board," she said. "When we have been presented proposals on ideas and given the facts behind the proposals, I make a point to ask questions and dig a little deeper."

Riggs is entitled to his thoughts on the board's performance, she said.

"My focus is that when we're true public servants, we find a way to build up the community and encourage those in positions of public trust," she said. "I try to conduct myself in a manner that honors the dignity of the seat I'm serving in. I also believe a healthy board is going to have healthy discussions."

Clark said she has supported the administration's proposals when the administration has been able to present solid reasoning for its plans. She pointed out she was one of four board members who supported giving $1 million to the city so the swim and dive teams could have priority access to a city-owned pool.

Riggs is a certified public accountant. Clark is a youth ministry director at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Bentonville.

Cowgur, 37, was elected to his Zone 4 seat in 2011. He is the board's longest-serving member.

"I'm running again because I love this district," Cowgur wrote in an email. "I was born and raised here and graduated from Bentonville High School and I want us to continue to be the leader in education."

The district has challenges and he doesn't want to walk away until they are addressed, he said. He also wants to ensure administrators' and staff members' voices are heard.

"The administration and teachers know what is best for our students and we need to listen. I feel that I have done this and will continue to do so," he wrote.

Cowgur made news in January when he suggested during a public meeting some of his fellow board members should resign because they had "hidden agendas." He suggested those agendas could drive some district administrators away.

Johnston, 45, is making her first bid for an elected position. The mother of eight began attending board meetings regularly about 18 months ago. She was an active member of last year's campaign for a second high school, she said.

Johnston has certain ideas she'd like to see explored, such as reducing the number of building transitions students make during their school years and increasing time devoted to physical education. But she added she wouldn't let her own goals take precedence over the board's goals.

"I feel I am willing to speak candidly about problems and listen and look for solutions and get along with everybody," Johnston said. "I particularly like to talk to people who disagree with me, because I want to understand why they feel that way."

She said she believes the board has "some challenges" working together, but added she's been heartened to see them vote unanimously on the major decisions.

"I find that very encouraging. They have been on a whole respectful of each other," she said.

Poore said the fact there are races for both board seats available this year is good for the district.

"I think it's always healthy and positive when you have a a contested race," Poore said. "That shows a genuine interest and desire to lead. I think it's always good for the community to make decisions and choices."

Poore will meet with Johnston next week to talk about the board position, something he always tries to do with people who have no experience with it, he said.

NW News on 07/11/2014

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