Collectively, the four school board members voted out of office Tuesday will take with them 55 years of board experience.

Wednesday, November 03, 1999

Collectively, the four school board members voted out of office Tuesday will take with them 55 years of board experience.

Incumbent John Ulland pointed to that service as he dismissed the notion that Austin voters took a "throw-the-bums-out" approach to the polls.

"I think that the foul ups of one person should not single out people with so many years of service dedicated to kids," said Ulland, the lone incumbent to speak with the Austin Daily Herald following the election. "It’s the wrong message people sent to the board."

Ulland, Brian McAlister, Carolyn Bogott and Lew Aase failed in their re-election bids following the 1998 discovery of a $500,000-plus general budget fund shortfall.

Ulland blamed the shortfall on a single administrator who has since left the district’s business office. Ulland said it was wrong for citizens to target blame at the school board, saying it is a policy-making body and not a "policing" one.

"I don’t know that there is a way to prevent foul ups," he said. "We can’t oversee the day-to-day running of the district."

Ulland had planned on not running for another term, but changed his mind after the shortfall controversy began to swirl.

"I’m not a quitter," he said. "I’m not one to bail out."

He did say he wasn’t surprised with how the election turned out.

"I know three of the four [Bruce Loveland, Larry Andersen and Kathy Green] chosen," he said, "and they’re all good. And I’ve met Bev Nordby and I was impressed."

"It’s going to take time," he added. "I’ve seen a lot of board members come and go. The ones that grow go on. The ones that don’t grow don’t stick around."

Ulland said he believes the members of the newly elected quartet are capable of growing.

Ulland knows well that his job is not done yet. In teacher contract negotiations, the current board has one large hurdle to clear before the new year.

"It’s priority No. 1," he said. "We’ve got a Jan. 15 deadline and a mediation session tomorrow."

Ulland did express one concern with the new-look board. He pointed out that of the board, two are former teachers (Andersen and Richard Lees) and two are spouses of teachers (Loveland and Dave Simonson).

"I hope with the board makeup they’ll still continue to put the kids first," he said.

Ulland applauded the voters who passed the district’s levy override referendum.

"Thank you," he said. "It’s the best message the people can send. It puts the kids first, but then Austin has always been that way."

The Austin Daily Herald attempted to, but could not reach Bogott, Aase or McAlister in time for this story.