School board hopefuls throw initial pitches

Dec. 6—Warren Ingram III, LaTonya Williams and Sean Connors spoke about their candidacies for the St. Joseph Board of Education this week.

There are, as of Wednesday afternoon, four people declared for the three available seats, one of which is currently held by Williams, who is seeking reelection. Ronda Chesney also will appear on the ballot, but could not be reached by Wednesday afternoon for the same interview opportunity. The election scheduled for April 2, 2024, will fill three board seats for a three-year term that commences later that month. The seven total board members will then vote among themselves to choose a president, vice president and other roles as they determine.

Connors is a career performing arts creator and director. He said his priority in running for office is to provide a progressive voice for school district leadership, while also ensuring district transparency.

"I do think the board is doing a lot of good things, but it takes a long time to build trust back," Connors said. "So knowing that I am local, I've been here all my life, I know the pulse of the community, and how I take direction well — I'm a musician in theater, I'm an actor — I plan to use a lot of those skills in building community."

Williams is the current board president, having served on the board since 2021. She is a care provider and administrator for childhood services. Winning a new mandate will be important in ensuring that her goals in public service are complete, she said.

"I'll be bringing in a lot of experience," Williams said. "Over my three-year term, I have learned a whole lot. I have gained a lot of experience, a lot of education on how to be a board member, and to also advocate on a state level and a national level on behalf of our school district."

Ingram is a longtime volunteer for Benton High School-related groups and interests. He said he regards board membership as a matter of public service and support, rather than leadership, as teachers and administrators deserve to be trusted to do their jobs.

"I had an encounter with an old teacher not too long ago, and I made the comment to her about something I learned in her class," he said. "Now, we're talking over 40 years ago, and she was very impressed that I still remembered that to this day. So, getting the satisfaction of teaching, like she got the satisfaction, that you know, what you do sticks ... That would be the greatest payback you could ever get."

Filings will continue to be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, until Friday, Dec. 22, when they will be open only from 8:30 a.m. to noon. A final filing opportunity will occur on Tuesday, Dec. 26, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Every would-be candidate must report in person to door No. 5 at 1415 N. 26th St., and consult with Board Secretary Donna Baker on the second floor.

Eight qualifications must be met for anyone who wishes to file. They include:

U.S. citizenship.

Eligibility to vote in the district.

Residence somewhere in Missouri since at least April 1, 2023.

Age of at least 24 years.

No known tax delinquency.

No felony criminal history.

No history of sexually based offenses.

Prompt filing of all required paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

All board members serve as unpaid volunteers, though certain expenses are covered. Anyone who works in any paid role for the St. Joseph School District would have to resign before they take office in April 2024. Work for other districts is permitted.

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem