Welton, Colver win school board

October 4, 2006

By CASEY RESSLER/Frontiersman

MAT-SU - When the Mat-Su Borough School Board engages in a search for a new superintendent, it will have a familiar face leading the way, as president Sarah Welton secured another three-year term on the board Tuesday night.

Welton defeated challenger Tamie Miller by more than 2,000 votes to retain her seat. She said she's thankful the board has big issues facing it in the coming months and years, and she's glad to be a part of the decision-making process.

&#8220There is great concern over choosing our next superintendent, and within the next three years we'll be doing (contract) negotiations again,” Welton said Tuesday night. &#8220I'm thankful people are happy with the work I've done so far. We're going to have a new mayor and a new assembly, so there will be many more challenges we'll have to face.”

In the other race of the night, current Mat-Su Borough Assembly member Jim Colver won the highly contested seat A by nearly a 2,000-vote margin, winning every district.

Colver said the move from the assembly to the Mat-Su School Board shouldn't be that difficult.

&#8220I'm going to be the new kid on the block, but I have a handle on the issues from my work on the assembly,” Colver said at the Mat-Su Borough Building Tuesday night.

&#8220I'm overwhelmed by the confidence people have shown in my campaign. I'm very grateful for the support.”

Colver beat Don Zoerb, Christian Hartley and decertified candidate James Milne in a seat that drew a lot of attention. Colver is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Mat-Su Borough Board of Ethics for his alleged misuse of his assembly position for personal gain.

He also was the target of a last-minute campaign mailer that drew attention to the alleged improprieties. Neither derailed his campaign, however.

&#8220I'm not going to comment on that,” Colver said. &#8220People have had enough of negative campaigning.”

Instead, Colver pointed to successes such as the new Settlers Bay-area elementary school as reasons for high voter support.

&#8220You have to deliver on promises. We promised voters a school in one year, and we're doing it on time and under budget,” Colver said.

Zoerb said he was shocked by the race's wide margin.

&#8220I'm surprised and obviously disappointed, but the people have made their choice, and I hope it all works out,” Zoerb said.

&#8220Our race was typical of several other races. It's pretty clear that the conservative candidates didn't do that well.”

Colver initially was going to run for the borough mayor's seat, but switched his goal to the school board, citing family reasons.

Tuesday night, he thanked his wife, Marie-Louise, saying that &#8220without her unwavering support, it wouldn't have been possible.”

Perhaps the biggest issue facing Welton and Colver in their positions on the Mat-Su School Board is the superintendent search.

Chief School Administrator Bob Doyle announced his retirement prior to the school year.

A new superintendent will likely be selected by early March and start on July 1.

Contact Casey Ressler at 352-2265 or valleylife@frontiersman.com.