Voters throughout the area will be heading to the polls Tuesday to select school board members.

In Webster County, three seats are available in the Fort Dodge Community School District. Incumbents Stu Cochrane, Jan Merz and Brian Forsythe are running unopposed, each seeking re-election for four-year terms through 2013.

Merz, who has served18 years, or six consecutive terms on the board, is seeking her seventh re-election. She said with budget cuts being made statewide, using funds and making changes to the district while trying to keep the impact the changes could have on the students' education at a minimum. will be a challenge the board will face in the next four years.

"The budget is always the main thing," she said. "We're also looking to do some new things with the buildings and looking at a long-range plan too see what we can use our 1 cent sales tax money for."

The possibility of constructing a new middle or elementary school building in the future may also be a major project decision for the Fort Dodge board in the coming years.

"One of the biggest challenges is meeting our district's infrastructure needs," said Cochrane, current board president, who is seeking a fifth term. "We're looking at building projects, with the possibility of a new middle school or elementary building, and some significant renovations to Senior High."

Other challenges the board members believe may be at hand are student achievement and the effort to meet No Child Left Behind guidelines.

'"One of the biggest things will be the Iowa Core Curriculum," said Forsythe, who is seeking his second term on the board. "'It's something new we will have to implement over the next couple of years. We need to continue working with No Child Left Behind, also. a few of our schools have been labeled as in need of assistance and we need to keep making great strides to continue improving in that area."

Manson Northwest Webster

In the Manson Northwest Webster Community School District, a single seat in both Districts 1 and 2 and an at-large position are available. In District 1, incumbent Terry Lawler is seeking a third term. He is unopposed in the race. Brent Johnson is seeking his first full at-large term after being appointed to fill an open position as the board transitioned to four-year terms. In director District 2, no candidates were declared. The vacancy will be filled by write-in ballot.

Prairie Valley

In the Prairie Valley Community School District, four seats are open with several individuals vying for a spot on the board. In District 1, Scott Hansch runs unopposed seeking a third term. In District 3, two seats are available for election. Incumbent Joe Harrison will seek a second term. Current Vice President Marshall Lambert is not seeking re-election. Candidates Jen Carlson, Shannon Miller and Emilea Lundberg are all seeking to be elected for their first term in director District 3. Rod Warehime is seeking a second term in the single at-large seat available, while Bruce Pudenz and Rick Brand also seek the seat. Those seeking election in the Prairie Valley district will be faced with going forth with proceedings and a study to close a school building due to cuts in funding and declining enrollment. The decision on which, if any building to close should be made by the end of the 2009-2010 academic year, Prairie Valley Superintendent Jim Dick said.

Southeast Webster-Grand

Four positions are available on the Southeast Webster-Grand board. In District 1, incumbent Rob Scott is unopposed as he seeks re-election. Michelle Stapp will also seek an unopposed re-election in director District 2. Two seats are available in the at-large set. Incumbent Grant Gibbons will seek re-election, while Dave Hainzinger and Robert Zaabel look to be elected to a first term.

Iowa Central

On the Iowa Central Community College board of directors, four incumbents are unopposed in seeking re-election. Terry Wessels is seeking another term in District 2, Larry Hecht in District 3, Garland Hanson in District 6 and Mark R. Crimmins seeks re-election to represent District 7.

Hamilton County

In Hamilton County, several schools are voting to renew their revenue purpose statements and physical plant and equipment -PPEL-levies. The PPEL is a 67.5 cent tax per every dollar on property taxes paid, and used to make school building improvements and purchase necessary equipment and buses.

The Northeast Hamilton Community School District will have two spots on the board up for grab. In District 4, incumbent Kim Schaa seeks another term while Scott Stolt vies for a first term. In District 5, no candidate has been declared and will be filled by write-in. If write-in votes are not received an individual will be appointed to fill the vacancy. Also on the NEH ballot will be the renewal of the revenue purpose statement which ensures the district's authority to spend state funds.

In the South Hamilton School District, incumbent Marie Johnson is seeking re-election to her seat in District 1. In District 4, William Johnston is seeking his first term on the board as current Board President David Carlson is not seeking re-election. Voters will also be the deciding authority on the revenue purpose statement,which will ensure the district can continue to spend state funding as they choose.

Webster City

In the Webster City Community School District, four individuals are running for two at-large positions. Incumbent Pamela Hayes is seeking a second term on the board while Heidi Faris, Sarah Hisler Kopriva and Michelle Zahn also seek election to the board. Current school board member Loween Getter is not seeking re-election. Webster City voters will also decided whether to renew the 67.5 cent Physical Plant and Equipment Levy.

Palo Alto County

In Palo Alto County, three candidates are vying for the three available at-large seats on the Emmetsburg Community School Board. Incumbent Karla Anderson is seeking another term, while Kimberly Campbell and Tamara L. Naig seek their first terms. Current members Kent Egland and David VanOosbree are not seeking re-election to the board.

West Bend-Mallard

In the West Bend-Mallard School District, three at-large positions are being sought by three individuals. Incumbents Pat Vonnahme and Dough Schwartzkopf both seek re-election as Wendell Schmidt seeks a first term. All are running unopposed.

Ruthven-Ayrshire

Three individuals are running unopposed for election to the Ruthven-Ayrshire school board. Tammy Chapman is seeking a first time election to the board while incumbents Barry Fischer and Susan Sikora seek re-election. Voters will also decide on the renewal of the 67 cent PPEL levy.

Graettinger

In the Graettinger Community School District, two unopposed individuals are seeking the two available school board seats. Incumbent Kevin Jensen seeks re-election and Wade Alesch is on the ballot for his first term.

Sac County

In Sac County, four individuals are seeking two at-large board positions in the Sac Community School District. Melissa Bellcock, JaLonna Ehler, Martha Huser and Sonya Wilt are all seeking their first terms on the board.

In the Wall Lake View Auburn School District, three seek two available seats on the board. Incumbent John Smith along with new candidates Jack DeBourgh and Chris Rodman are seeking the at-large positions.

Calhoun County

In Calhoun County, Four individuals are seeking the three available seats on the Southern Cal School Board. In District 1, incumbent Larry Irwin is running unopposed. Incumbent Jim Brown is also unopposed in the race for District 3. David Iler is running for a first term at-large seat against incumbent Alan Wedemeyer. The District will also vote on implementing a 10-year instructional support levy to help the school's general fund.

In the Rockwell City-Lytton school district, Peggy Stoolman and Bradley Assman seek election for the one seat available in District 1. In District 2, incumbent Roscoe C. Simpson III is unopposed as he seeks re-election. The single at-large seat on the board is being sought by four newcomers as current board member Joe Grodahl does not seek re-election, Kevin Machovek, David Dahlstrom, Kyle Welander and Curtis Batta all seek to be elected at-large.

Wright County

In the Eagle Grove Community School District in Wright County, Earn Halverson and John Rown run unopposed as they seek their first terms on the board.

In the Clarion-Goldfield district, Timothy Nagel is running unopposed for the single at-large position on the board. In District 2, four individuals are seeking the two available spots. Incumbents Dana Langfitt and Beth Jackson seek re-election to the board while Beth Severson and Jim Lester look to be elected to their first terms.

Pocahontas County

In Pocahontas County, Scott Davis, Michael D. Olson, Deb Kenobbie and Matt Tate seek the two available seats on the Laurens-Marathon board.

In the Pocahontas Area Community School District, Richard Garner, Raymond Seehusen and Jeff Kerns all seek election for the three available positions on the board.

Pomeroy Palmer incumbents Roger Echelberger, Jason Gerdes and Rachel Olson all are running unopposed for re-election.

Humboldt County

In Humboldt County, Gilmore City-Bradgate incumbents Kevin Wagner and Ron Warren both run unopposed for at-large seats on the board.

In the Humboldt Community School district, incumbent Trina Carda runs unopposed for re-election in District 1, as do Dawn Humburg in District 2 and Rick Pedersen for at-large. Humboldt voters will also vote on the renewal of the districts revenue purpose statement for state funding.

The two available seats on the Twin Rivers School Board are being sought by unopposed incumbents Byron How and Tom Olson. Voters in the twin rivers district will also vote on the renewal of the revenue purpose statement.

Kossuth County

In Kossuth County, three available spots on the Algona Community School Board are being sought by four individuals. Incumbent Cheryl Grether seeks re-election for a second term and Keith Kuecker a third term. Newcomers Jay Limbaugh and Brien Rindone are seeking their first terms on the board.

In the Corwith-Wesley district, incumbents Keith Hauswirth and Tracy Studer both run unopposed for re-election to the two available seats on the board.

In the Luverne Community School District, Incumbent Charles Legler seeks re-election and Meredith Collins is seeking her first term on the board. Both are unopposed at-large candidates. Incumbent Karen McGregor also seeks re-election to fill a vacancy on the board.

Contact Emilie Nelson at (515) 573-2171 or enelson@messengernews.net