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Finance reports provide an education on school district election campaigns

Carrie ClickPost Independent Staff

GLENWOOD SPRINGS In all three regional school districts, campaign finance reports prove that money doesnt necessarily win elections though sometimes it can help. In the Roaring Fork School District Re-1 board of education race, election spending varied widely among candidates who filed reports with the Garfield County Clerk. Spending between candidates Robert Arrington and Bruce Wampler, who won the election, in the District C race was dramatically different. Challenger candidate Robert Arrington reported spending just $49 of his own money to produce brochures at Staples. In contrast, incumbent Bruce Wampler reported contributions totaling $1,842, and spent $1,804 to win his seat. Wampler received $800 from Katrina Haines and $75 from Lisa Sobke. Wampler also contributed $967 to his own campaign.Wampler spent $153 at Garfield County Clerk for a voter registration list, $717 at Colorado Mountain News Media for newspaper ads, and $934 for signs at gwennies.com. Brad Zeigel, who won the District B seat, spent $895, and received $860 in contributions. He also contributed $50 to his own campaign. His opponent, Rio Jacober, did not file a campaign expense report. Zeigel received contributions from 17 donors: $200 from Laura Zeigel, $100 from Shane Evans, $50 donations from Olivia Emery, Mark Mahoney, Molly Beattie, Carol Farris and Mark Chain, $35 from David Carpenter, $30 from Bill Lamont, $25 donations from John Blounts, Joan Matranga, Glenn Rappaport, Thomas Fisher, Mike Conners, Katherine Anderson and Ann Weaver, and $20 from Scott Chaplin.Zeigel spent $51 at BMC West in Glenwood for wooden stakes for signs, $291 at Independence Press for election posters, $167 at Design Studio for design and production of newspaper ads, $320 at CMNM for newspaper advertising, $35 at City Market for food and $30 at Main Street Liquors for liquor for his campaign party.Incumbent Susan Hakanson retained her seat in District D. Her opponent, Ken Melby, did not file a finance report.Hakanson spent $222 for signs at Sign Master in Prattville, Ala., and $30 for an entry in the Potato Days parade. She self-funded her campaign for a total of $258. The other candidates Pete Delany and Michael Bair ran unopposed, and won their districts. They did not file reports with the county clerk.

The Mill Levy Override Committee spent $16,126, although the mill levy was voted down on Nov. 4. The pro-mill levy committee received contributions totaling $16,294. By far, the committees largest funder was Gamma Construction Co., the company that is under contract to build Coal Ridge High School, with a donation of $10,000. Bond underwriters George K. Baum & Co. gave $1,000, and Facility Innovation Service gave $2,500.The committee received $500 donations from Alpine Bank, Commonwealth Title, Savage Land Co., Gary and Jacqueline Pack, Kuersten Concrete, Greg Tamburello, Wells Fargo Bank and Rifle Insurance Agency, $250 donations from The Colorado Fund for Children of Public Education, Stuver & LeMoine P.C., Swallow Oil Co., Burgess Plastering & Drywall, A-1 Heating & Cooling and Ava Lanes, $200 donations from Cedar Hill Kennel, Bookcliff Survey and Bruce Mills P.C., $175 from Colorado River Engineering, $150 from Carter & Sands P.C., $100 donations from Rick and Tracy Peterson, Burning Mountain Credit Union, Columbine Ford, Grand Mesa Mechanical, Vicki VanEngelenburg, George and Chris Pearson, and Greg and Kim Goossens, $75 from White River Counseling, $50 donations from Giard Homes and Margo Stapleton, and $25 donations from Dick Casey Concrete, Mesa National Bank and David and Annick Pruett.The committee spent $5,379 with the Citizen Telegram for print ads, $1,200 with KMTS for radio ads, $2,250 with Western Slope Communications for radio ads, $2,093 at Jeans Printing for postage and printing, $250 for miscellaneous supplies and food, $9 at Alpine Bank for checks, $2,692 with Politically Direct for signs and $2,253 at Lewan & Associates for copying.In addition, Anne Guettler donated $170 worth of time and materials for miscellaneous buttons and stationery, John W. Savage P.C. donated $325 in postage, copies and stationery, G.K. Baum & Co. donated $238 for a voter registration list, and Marla and Mike Nelson donated $104 worth of balloons.

Opponents to the mill levy override, the Citizens for Common Cents Education, received a total of $2,400 in monetary contributions and spent $2,297.The CCCE received $200 donations from Ross Talbott, Tom and Barbara Laidlaw, Gary and Karen Hill and Georgann Jewell, $150 donations from Linda Dwire and Nancy Jacobsen, $100 donations from Mike Pruett, Rosie Ferrin, Robert Hoffmeister, Traci Vondette, Derek Vondette, an anonymous donor, Jack Wigington, Brett and Jeanne Jolley and Gary Gagne, $50 donations from Betty Dawson, John Scalzo, Lillian Hill, Vivian Raymond and H.B. and Roberta Shaeffer, $40 donations from Becky Bloomfield and Dominic and Sara Dodero, $25 donations from Dan Cameron and Patty Scarrow, and $20 from Elizabeth Lewis.In addition, Jan Walker donated $18 worth of posters. Expenditures included $1,912 with Colorado Mountain News Media for print ads, $224 at The Print Works for poster lamination, $100 with KMTS/KGLN for radio spots, and $61 at Jeans Printing for signs.None of the school board candidates in Garfield School District Re-2 board of education race District Bs Jay Rickstrew and Nancy Whitcombe, District Cs incumbent Jan Hubbell and District Ds Howard Stapleton filed campaign finance reports. All candidates except Rickstrew, who won the District B seat, and Whitcombe ran unopposed.



None of the candidates running in the Garfield No. 16 school board election filed campaign finance reports. Up for election were Ron Palmer and Jodi Williams, both of whom ran unopposed. The committee supporting No. 16s mill levy override, the Grand Valley Citizens for Quality Education, received $1,411, including $500 from FCI Constructors, $250 donations from Grand Valley Education Foundation, Cardinals Booster Club, Colorado Fund for Children and Public Education, Parachute Sinclair and Thomas Beard and Pamela Szedelyi, $135 from Willie Williams, $100 from Roy Brubacher, $75 from Kimble and Holly Klinzman, and $50 from Nick Massaro.Roy Brubacher made a nonmonetary contribution of $35 in sign poles, and Jody Williams donated materials for buttons worth $150. The committee spent $58 with the Garfield County Clerk for a voter registration list, $1,370 at Jeans Printing, and $341 for postage. Contact Carrie Click: 945-8515, ext. 518cclick@postindependent.com


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