Voters in Iola, LaHarpe and elsewhere throughout USD 257 will have decisions to make this fall.
A number of candidates have filed in advance of Monday’s deadline, guaranteeing contested races for those two governing bodies.
For USD 257, all three incumbents whose seats are up for re-election — Robin Griffin-Lohman, John Masterson and John Wilson — have filed. They’ll be joined on the ballot by Nathan Cunningham, who filed this week as well.
Iola City Councilman Nich Lohman, who represents the city’s Ward 3, will face Myra Gleason, who filed for a Council seat Thursday morning. The third Ward covers the southwest quadrant of Iola.
Nobody has yet filed in Iola’s Wards 1 (northwest), 2 (northeast) or 4 (southeast) for seats held by Josiah D’Albini, Joel Wicoff and Benedikt Middleton, respectively. Both D’Albini and Wicoff have announced they are not running for re-election.
Meanwhile, LaHarpe has four candidates seeking three at-large seats.
Incumbents Cynthia Carr and Sharlyn Thompson have both filed for re-election. Harry Lee Jr. and Kendra Michael have filed as well.
SEVERAL OTHER seats are up for grabs.
Iola Mayor Steve French has filed for re-election,.
In Humboldt, Mayor Nobby Davis has filed for re-election, as has Blake McDaniel for his Council seat.
John Lassman has filed to fill a Council seat Cindy Holinsworth. Kent Goodner and Sarah Hart have seats coming up for re-election as well.
The USD 258 Board of Education has three seats to be decided, with Nathan Ellison and Joyce Allen both filing for re-election, the only candidates to file thus far. The other seat is held by Ashley Johnson.
IN GAS, Harry Holloway has filed for mayor, the only candidate to do so for Kenny Baker’s seat. Gas Councilman Richard Morrison has filed for re-election, with another seat needing filled.
IN MORAN, Lee Roberts is the only candidate to have filed for Mayor Jerry Wallis’ seat. The City Council has yet to have any candidates file for two seats in the running, one held by Roberts; the other by Jim Mueller.
The Marmaton Valley-USD 256 Board of Education has three seats to be filled. Incumbent Ryan Smith is the only one to file thus far. The other two seats are held by Kenneth McVey and Jackie Walls.
THE SOUTHWIND Extension’s Board of Directors has two seats up for re-election. Carol Crawford, incumbent, has filed to keep her seat, the only announced candidate so far. The other seat is held by Miles Mentzer.
