ThisWeek CW 11/05/2013 WEB COVERAGE
Groveport and Madison Township residents voted Nov. 5 to retain two board members and welcome one new member on the Groveport Madison Board of Education.
Five candidates ran for the three available seats. Incumbents Nancy Gillespie and Bryan Shoemaker retained their seats and newcomer Libby Gray was elected to replace retiring board member Charlotte Barker.
The other two candidates were Randy Blamble and Jason M. Hovance.
After two failed levy campaigns, all of the candidates ran on platforms focused on restoring the district’s finances, particularly related to cuts in busing and educational opportunities.
Gillespie, who is the mother of two recent Groveport Madison graduates, promised to work on raising student achievement and to reconnect with families to turn around the negativity surrounding the district. She won with 1,844 votes, or 22.73 percent, according to unofficial figures from the Franklin County Board of Elections.
Shoemaker, who has four children, two of whom are current students in the district, said he wants to continue working to restore the “Cruiser Pride” that he thinks has been lost. He was re-elected with 1,827 votes, or 22.52 percent.
Gray, who also has a child in the district, said during the campaign she wants to help restore residents’ trust in the school board. She received 1,917 votes, or 23.63 percent.
Hovance garnered 1,189 votes, or 14.66 percent; and Blamble received 1,037 votes, or 12.78 percent.