Voters pass school referendum; board
incumbents ousted
Local voters gave a resounding "Yes" vote to a referendum that will build a new elementary school
in Chatham Tuesday night.
With over 3,400 total votes cast, there were 2,342 'Yes' votes (68.6 percent) and 1,073 'No' votes
(31.4 percent). Voter turnout was dismal across Sangamon County (18.1 percent), but locally, the
turnout range in Ball and Chatham precincts was between 17.8 and 33.3 percent.
As a result, a 500-student elementary school will be built, using district reserves, at an estimated
cost of $12.3 million. Construction could start later this year and the school should be open by August
2011.
When the new school opens, there will be three K-4 centers in Ball-Chatham, with boundary lines
to be established. Glenwood Intermediate will become a grades 5-6 facility, and Glenwood Middle
School will house 7th and 8th graders.
Initial plans call for the school to be built immediately west of Glenwood High School, on land
recently purchased by the school district. The entrance to the school would be off an extension to the
north of the current Acacia Lane.
The school will be built with the ability to be expanded to 750 students, should enrollment needs
warrant such a move in the future.
•A new era has dawned on the Ball-Chatham Board of Education, as incumbent president Patrick
Hansen and former president and 12-year board mainstay Rick Carr were ousted.
With outgoing incumbents Joe Hartzler and Kathy Lundin not seeking re-election, the board's
makeup has almost a brand new, yet inexperienced, look.
Linda Carter, a former teacher and administrator in Ball-Chatham, was elected to the board, as
were John Kwedar, Lisa Weitzel and Alan Harling. Though Carr received the fourth most votes of the
six that were running, rules that restrict the number of board members that can be from a certain
township prevented him from claiming a fourth term.
Carter, Kwedar, Weitzel and Harling join Mark Bartolozzi and Mike Falter, both elected to their first
terms in 2007, and Jim Neuses, who was appointed to the board this past January to fill a spot
vacated by Matt Keppler.
Neuses, however, has served on the board previously for eight years (1995-2003), including as
president, and is now the most experienced board member by far.
Carter, with 2,077 votes, led the vote-getters, followed by Kwedar (1,933), Weitzel (1,788), Carr (1,767),
Hansen (1,532) and Harling (1,146).
However, Carter and Carr (Ball congressional township) were competing for one spot, Weitzel,
Hansen and Kwedar (Woodside) were competing for two spots, and Harling (Chatham) was
essentially running unopposed.
Not more than three board members from the same congressional township can be on the board
at the same time. Current board members Bartolozzi and Neuses are from Ball, while Falter is from
Woodside.
•Vote breakdown and turnout from Ball and Chatham precincts are as follows:
•Ball 1 (20.4% turnout) - Kwedar 45, Carter 43, Weitzel 38, Carr 36, Hansen 25, Harling 20. Yes -
40, No - 28.
•Ball 2 (17.8%) - Carter 112, Kwedar 97, Weitzel 90, Carr 87, Hansen 74, Harling 63. Yes - 114, No
- 57.
•Ball 3 (29%) - Carter 149, Weitzel 139, Carr 123, Kwedar 114, Hansen 107, Harling 75. Yes - 179,
No - 53.
•Ball 4 (21.8%) - Carter 152, Weitzel 139, Carr 132, Kwedar 124, Hansen 122, Harling 86. Yes -
188, No - 59.
•Ball 5 (33.3%) - Carter 212, Carr 185, Kwedar 177, Weitzel 174, Hansen 146, Harling 119. Yes -
251, No - 74.
•Chatham 1 (27.4%) - Carr 86, Carter 83, Kwedar 78, Weitzel 74, Hansen 66, Harling 55. Yes - 99,
No - 53.
•Chatham 2 (26.1%) - Carter 111, Carr 104, Kwedar 97, Hansen 96, Weitzel 75, Harling 60. Yes -
127, No - 75.
•Chatham 3 (23.4%) - Carter 108, Weitzel 103, Kwedar 87, Carr 85, Hansen 72, Harling 65. Yes -
118, No - 50).
•Chatham 4 (22%) - Carter 115, Weitzel 96, Kwedar 90, Hansen 88, Carr 82, Harling 53. Yes - 120,
No - 53.
•Chatham 5 (26.2%) - Carter 77, Kwedar 61, Weitzel 58, Hansen 54, Carr 53, Harling 52. Yes - 61,
No - 57.
•Chatham 6 (21.4%) - Carter 149, Carr 115, Kwedar 113, Hansen 113, Weitzel 113, Harling 73.
Yes - 153, No - 61.
incumbents ousted
Local voters gave a resounding "Yes" vote to a referendum that will build a new elementary school
in Chatham Tuesday night.
With over 3,400 total votes cast, there were 2,342 'Yes' votes (68.6 percent) and 1,073 'No' votes
(31.4 percent). Voter turnout was dismal across Sangamon County (18.1 percent), but locally, the
turnout range in Ball and Chatham precincts was between 17.8 and 33.3 percent.
As a result, a 500-student elementary school will be built, using district reserves, at an estimated
cost of $12.3 million. Construction could start later this year and the school should be open by August
2011.
When the new school opens, there will be three K-4 centers in Ball-Chatham, with boundary lines
to be established. Glenwood Intermediate will become a grades 5-6 facility, and Glenwood Middle
School will house 7th and 8th graders.
Initial plans call for the school to be built immediately west of Glenwood High School, on land
recently purchased by the school district. The entrance to the school would be off an extension to the
north of the current Acacia Lane.
The school will be built with the ability to be expanded to 750 students, should enrollment needs
warrant such a move in the future.
•A new era has dawned on the Ball-Chatham Board of Education, as incumbent president Patrick
Hansen and former president and 12-year board mainstay Rick Carr were ousted.
With outgoing incumbents Joe Hartzler and Kathy Lundin not seeking re-election, the board's
makeup has almost a brand new, yet inexperienced, look.
Linda Carter, a former teacher and administrator in Ball-Chatham, was elected to the board, as
were John Kwedar, Lisa Weitzel and Alan Harling. Though Carr received the fourth most votes of the
six that were running, rules that restrict the number of board members that can be from a certain
township prevented him from claiming a fourth term.
Carter, Kwedar, Weitzel and Harling join Mark Bartolozzi and Mike Falter, both elected to their first
terms in 2007, and Jim Neuses, who was appointed to the board this past January to fill a spot
vacated by Matt Keppler.
Neuses, however, has served on the board previously for eight years (1995-2003), including as
president, and is now the most experienced board member by far.
Carter, with 2,077 votes, led the vote-getters, followed by Kwedar (1,933), Weitzel (1,788), Carr (1,767),
Hansen (1,532) and Harling (1,146).
However, Carter and Carr (Ball congressional township) were competing for one spot, Weitzel,
Hansen and Kwedar (Woodside) were competing for two spots, and Harling (Chatham) was
essentially running unopposed.
Not more than three board members from the same congressional township can be on the board
at the same time. Current board members Bartolozzi and Neuses are from Ball, while Falter is from
Woodside.
•Vote breakdown and turnout from Ball and Chatham precincts are as follows:
•Ball 1 (20.4% turnout) - Kwedar 45, Carter 43, Weitzel 38, Carr 36, Hansen 25, Harling 20. Yes -
40, No - 28.
•Ball 2 (17.8%) - Carter 112, Kwedar 97, Weitzel 90, Carr 87, Hansen 74, Harling 63. Yes - 114, No
- 57.
•Ball 3 (29%) - Carter 149, Weitzel 139, Carr 123, Kwedar 114, Hansen 107, Harling 75. Yes - 179,
No - 53.
•Ball 4 (21.8%) - Carter 152, Weitzel 139, Carr 132, Kwedar 124, Hansen 122, Harling 86. Yes -
188, No - 59.
•Ball 5 (33.3%) - Carter 212, Carr 185, Kwedar 177, Weitzel 174, Hansen 146, Harling 119. Yes -
251, No - 74.
•Chatham 1 (27.4%) - Carr 86, Carter 83, Kwedar 78, Weitzel 74, Hansen 66, Harling 55. Yes - 99,
No - 53.
•Chatham 2 (26.1%) - Carter 111, Carr 104, Kwedar 97, Hansen 96, Weitzel 75, Harling 60. Yes -
127, No - 75.
•Chatham 3 (23.4%) - Carter 108, Weitzel 103, Kwedar 87, Carr 85, Hansen 72, Harling 65. Yes -
118, No - 50).
•Chatham 4 (22%) - Carter 115, Weitzel 96, Kwedar 90, Hansen 88, Carr 82, Harling 53. Yes - 120,
No - 53.
•Chatham 5 (26.2%) - Carter 77, Kwedar 61, Weitzel 58, Hansen 54, Carr 53, Harling 52. Yes - 61,
No - 57.
•Chatham 6 (21.4%) - Carter 149, Carr 115, Kwedar 113, Hansen 113, Weitzel 113, Harling 73.
Yes - 153, No - 61.
Chatham Clarion
 | |  | |  | |  |
Issue Date: March 27, 2008
Issue Date: March 27, 2008
Issue Date: April 9, 2009
Issue Date: March 27, 2008