By Joanna Miller
Staff Writer
Voters selected two incumbents and two newcomers to fill four open three-year spots on the Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board Tuesday.
Incumbent Diane Ziemann gained the highest number of votes, garnering 16 percent. Incumbent Eric Pratt followed with just over 14 percent.
Pratt barely overtook newcomers to the board, Dee Dee Francis (with 14 percent of the vote) and Chris Lind (also with 14 percent), to round out the newly elected candidates.
Ziemann said she plans to continue with her election platform to listen to public input, she added.
“I ran on being able to listen. I encourage anyone with concerns to give me a call. I very much want to listen to what people want and their needs,” she said.
In reaction to the failed levy and bond referendums, Ziemann said she’s saddened.
“The community spoke loudly on that. I don’t like the results. It directly affects the education of our children,” she said.
Incumbent Eric Pratt said being re-elected was a highlight, while the levy and bond results were frustrating.
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have the opportunity to serve our district again. It’s a very humbling feeling to know your friends and neighbors trust you [in that role.] I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to serve,” he said.
Pratt thought the levy and bond would both pass.
“I thought we did a good job of articulating the need. Our volunteers worked tirelessly,” he said.
Pratt said the board has discussed what to do if the two items failed at a high level, but it will now delve into the budget process specifically. The board anticipated about $1 million in budget cuts should the levy fail.
Newly elected Dee Dee Francis agreed that she’s excited about being chosen to serve, but the failed levy and bond will impact her position.
“I’m thrilled. I’m a little humbled by the support I had,” she said.
Francis said that the results for the levy and bond will make her new position harder.
“It will make things difficult. It would have been an easier job if it would have passed. We have more work to do,” she said.
Francis said existing levies may have swayed voters.
“I think the fact that there was already an existing one in place had something to do with it, and the dollar amount, too,” she said.
Newly elected Chris Lind said he and his family anxiously awaited results Tuesday evening.
“I’m honestly surprised that I made the board,” Lind said. “I’m very happy.”
Lind worked as a campus supervisor at Prior Lake High School before being fired for insubordination before the current school year.
Lind said many current and former high-school students came to the polls to vote.
“I received so many e-mails from past students that voted for the first time. They were engaged into the process because I was running,” he said.
Lind said he feels the budget issues need to be at the forefront of the board’s agenda.
“If this year we show a lot of financial improvement, I think it would validate a levy next year,” he said.
Lind would like to find a way for people who voted in favor of the levy to make contributions to the district to lessen the impact of the failed levy.
“I think there is a need for a more modest levy,” Lind said.
He looks forward to bringing new ideas to the board as well as learning from board members who have already served.
“New people on the board are just there for awhile learning the ropes,” Lind said. “I will definitely use the board members who have been on there [for] their feedback and ideas.”
Of the other candidates in the running, incumbent ****** Booth earned more than 12 percent of the vote. John Myser had 11 percent, Michael Von Arx had 9.5 percent, and Greg Bores followed with 9 percent. Joanna Miller can be reached at (952) 345-6375 or jmiller@swpub.com [1].