BY DAN RYLANCE

Rumors abound that three new and still unannounced candidates will soon emerge to run for three seats on the Oshkosh School Board in 2003. Further that these individuals will run as a team with a common platform to maintain neighborhood schools. Each one of these candidates shares opposition to various school redistricting plans offered by school administrators and discussed often by the current School Board over the past two years. Each one of these candidates is also a critic of current Superintendent Ron Heilmann and a victory for just one of these three would change the present direction of the School Board.

If valid, their candidacies will be a direct challenge to three incumbents who remain at the core of continuity on the Board and who are faithful supporters of Heilmann and presumably also candidates for re-election. They are Karen Bowen, Board president, Dennis Kavanaugh, Board Vice-President and Michael Stratz, former Board president. A win for all three of the incumbents is absolutely essential to maintain continuity of current Board policies. Anything less spells major changes in the School District policies and major problems for Heilmann.

There is at least one more semi-announced candidate waiting in the wings. He's Patrick Kogutkiewicz, a former one-term School Board member, who did not seek re-election last time. Kogutkiewicz, however, is now itching to get back on the Board. The reason is quite apparent because he would join three current Board members who are not up for re-election in 2003 and who share his conservative views about spending. They are Dennis McHugh, Thomas McDermott and Ben Schneider. These three Lone Rangers emerged this fall as a solid voting bloc against approval for the 2003 School District Budget. In doing so they drove the likes of Bowen and Stratz crazy and probably caused Heilmann to upgrade his vita. It also gave Kogutkiewicz new life.

Readers might recall that the Board became deadlocked on a 3-3 vote because Theresa Thiel, the seventh Board member, is prevented by Wisconsin law from voting on the budget because her spouse is a School District employee. He inability to vote gave added impetus and power to the three anti-Heilmann Board members.

Since the Budget will mostly certainly remain a major focus for 2003, Thiel, will remain a non-player. A key seventh member on the sidelines because of her conflict of interest. Thus, there will be only six voting members on the Board for the crucial budget cuts forthcoming. Her vote for support of Heilmann's agenda won't count. She's become a non-voting and irrelvant Board member.

There are some other issues to consider.

• First, if there are more than six filed candidates, state law requires a primary election in February. This will be a very low turnout contest which probably will favor the incumbents.
  
• Second, a Kogutkiewicz win would be the worst case scenario for Heilmann. Kogutkiewicz spent three years talking endlessly to himself and believing that he knew more about how to micro-manage the School District than anyone else. He had no takers then and probably could count on one hand the number of motions he made that passed. If elected, this would no longer be true. He would not only have others to listen, but others who would vote with him as well.
• Third, if the three team candidates emerge, will they have much support? The answer is, of course, unknown. But a slate is more radical than a single candidate and poses far greater implications for the future direction of the School District.
• Fourth, another variable would be for Thiel to resign her seat soon. She must realize that her power on budget matters is lost and that she will continue to hold a seat without a vote next year.
  

Finally, a loss in just one seat currently held by the three incumbents spells major changes and migraine headaches for Heilmann. The incumbents are good people who care very much about the future of education in Oshkosh. They are also unwilling to make needed decisions quickly or to compromise on anything with those who oppose Heilmann. The April 2003 election will be more a test on their performance than on issues presented by the challengers.
Dan Rylance is a former editorial writer for Knight Ridder newspapers and a frequent contributor to this website who now lives in Oshkosh.

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