There are three positions up for election on the Hillsboro School Board -- positions four, five, and six. No candidate filed for position four, currently held by Brent Barkman.
Following are responses from incumbents Eddie Weber and Gary Andrews who hold positions six and seven, respectively.
USD 410 Board of Education Position Five Eddie Weber (incumbent)
1) Why do you want to be re-elected to office?
Weber: “I want to help continue USD 410’s strong academic tradition.”
2) Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the current administration? Why?
Weber: “We currently are in a transition period with our administration. I have been satisfied with every administrator who has worked for USD 410 and look forward to working with Mr. Noble.”
3) What is your background and/or qualifications for office?
Weber: “I have been on the school board for eight years.”
4) What are your goals for the school board? How do you plan to accomplish them?
Weber: “I would like to see more collaboration with other school districts in the area. It all starts with talking and being willing to give and take.”
5) What is the most important issue facing the school board? Why?
Weber: “The state budget crisis and declining enrollment. The budget crisis coupled with declining enrollment means less money for schools. Less money means more cuts to the budget, which in turn affects education.”
6) Tell us about yourself — career, family, residence, etc.
Weber: “I’ve lived in Hillsboro for 25 years. I’ve been married for 20 years to my wife, Connie. I have two daughters — Courtney, 15, a freshman at Hillsboro High School; and Allison, 12, a sixth grader at Hillsboro Middle School.”
USD 410 Board of Education Position Six
Gary Andrews (incumbent)
1) Why do you want to be re-elected to office?
Andrews: “Since I served on the school board for the past four years, I have invested a lot of time and energy with current issues. I want to see the building projects through to the end. Also, I feel it is a way of giving back to the community.”
2) Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the current administration? Why?
Andrews: “We have a very good administrative staff in place, but the success of our district goes beyond just the administration. Each employee of USD 410 is important in the education of our kids.”
3) What is your background and/or qualifications for office?
Andrews: “As I said before, I have served on the board for four years. We have been through a variety of issues — the school bond project, the lawsuit, and hiring of a new district superintendent. Also, my wife and I have two daughters who went K-12 in this district.”
4) What are your goals for the school board? How do you plan to accomplish them?
Andrews: “My goals would be to help finish the building projects and continue to keep USD 410 an excellent learning environment. We will accomplish this by working together.”
5) What is the most important issue facing the school board? Why?
Andrews: “The biggest issue by far will be the budget. With declining enrollment and state cuts in funds, we will have to work to ensure that our kids continue to receive the best education we can give them. And do this as efficiently as possible.”
6) Tell us about yourself — career, family, residence, etc.
Andrews: “I have been in the golf course business my entire life. My dad was Golf Course Superintendent at Salina Country Club when I was growing up. We were basically the weekend crew. We moved here in 1990 so I could become Golf Course Superintendent at Hillsboro Municipal Golf Course and Marion Country Club. In 1994, I took over maintenance responsibilities at Hillsboro Sports Complex. My wife, Sally, has been a registered nurse for 25 years. She currently works at Marion Family Physicians and Parkside Homes. We have two daughters, Gina, 23, and Lora, 19. They both attend Kansas State University and plan to be high school teachers. Gina is majoring in family and consumer science and Lora is majoring in English.”