PACs seeking to influence SPS board raise $210K. Their donors are vastly different

The two most active political action committees seeking to influence the outcome of the Springfield school board election have collectively amassed more than $210,000 to support candidates — but their donor bases could not be more different.

The new United Springfield PAC co-chaired by Jim Anderson and Terri McQueary has raised $120,992 since its creation in late October, according to a campaign finance report filed Thursday with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The group has raised $27,625 since filing its first report in mid-January.

In all, more than 50 individuals — civic leaders, business owners, elected officials and others — have donated money or in-kind services.

The Back on Track America PAC, which has been active in recent elections, has raised at least $89,514. The group is led by Dianne Ely but does not list members of its steering committee online.

An updated report was not filed by the Feb. 22 deadline but the group previously reported $69,514 in mid-January and two donations of $10,000 in weeks that followed.

However, all but $1,155 of the $46,155 donated since October of last year came from two donors — $25,000 from the Cook Family Foundation in Ozark and $20,000 from Ely, a self-employed beauty consultant.

The Cook Family Foundation is a philanthropic venture from the family that runs the Loren Cook Company in Springfield. It has mostly donated to nonprofits that help families and animals.

The Springfield manufacturing company hosted former President Donald Trump during a visit in 2017.

Loren Cook, who leads the company, also separately donated $15,000 — or $5,000 each — to incumbent Maryam Mohammadkhani as well as candidates Landon McCarter and Chad Rollins.

The Back on Track PAC endorsed Mohammakdhani as well as as McCarter and Rollins, who also ran last year. The group has backed the three in past elections.

More: Campaign fundraising by SPS school board candidates tops $205K, with 5 weeks still to go

This is the first year United Springfield has endorsed candidates. It is backing incumbents Danielle Kincaid and Scott Crise as well as first-time candidate Susan Provance.

The co-chairs and members of the steering committee, which are listed online, have also donated to the candidates that were endorsed.

The PAC was created to support candidates in school board and city council races that are required by state law to be nonpartisan.

Organizers said the PAC is a direct response to a dramatic increase in the participation of partisan and "dark money" groups — that opt not to disclose donor names — in local elections.

The steering committee includes Raylene Appleby, president of PJC Insurance Agency; Orin Cummings, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church; Jeff Johnson, retired urologist at Mercy Hospital; Julie Leeth, a retired Springfield educator who worked to strength public schools through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks; Alina Lehnert, leadership expert and former school board member; Tom Prater, eye surgeon and former member of the school board and City Council; and Gail Smart, a community volunteer and wife of Missouri State University president Clif Smart.

The donations

In mid-January, the Back on Track PAC reported $69,514 in donations including $26,155 raised in that quarter. Most came from a $25,000 gift from the Cook Family Foundation.

Ely made $10,000 donations on Jan. 25 and Feb. 13, which were reportedly between the campaign filing deadlines, as required due to their amount.

More: Back on Track America PAC reports donations, endorses 3 school board candidates

The additional $27,625 raised by United Springfield since the mid-January deadline included $2,500 in in-kind donations from Alina Lehnert.

The latest round of donations came from these individuals, some of whom have donated previously:

• $5,000 − Bryan Magers;

• $2,500 − Robert Baird, Sally Baird, Shannon Gregg, Chandler Gregg;

• $2,000 − David O'Reilly;

• $1,000 − William Turner, Darren Lehnert;

• $500 − Mark Nelson, John Carnahan, Mark McQueary, Mark Walker, Tom Finnie, Orin Cummings, David Appleby;

• $300 − Terry Bond;

• $250 − Steve Ingalsbe, Gary Whitaker;

• $300 − Greg Burris;

• $200 − Art Hains;

• $100 −Jacob Thomas, Charity Elmer, Jane Huffstetler, Wes Zongker, Joyce Schearf, Linda Bourg, Carol Taylor, Julie Leeth, Angie Harrell, Doug Pilant, Fred Hall;

• $50 − Andrew Baird, Art Farris;

• $25 − Sandy Vekasy.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Who's donating to PACs backing Springfield school board candidates?