The School District of Washington’s school board filing opened on Tuesday, December 6, at 8 a.m. It will remain open until Tuesday, December 27, at 5 p.m.
There are three open seats. Terms for board members Scott Byrne, Susan Thatcher and Dan Leslie expire in 2023. Byrne is completing his fifth term on the Board after first being elected in 2008. Thatcher is completing her third term on the Board after first being elected in 2014. Leslie is completing his first term on the Board after being elected in 2020.
As filing opened at 8 a.m. on December 6, filing were Bob Oreskovic of Washington and Rob Horvath of Labadie. Oreskovic served on the Board from 2017-20.
Update Monday, December 12 - Incumbent Dan Leslie filed for the Board of Education on Monday, December 12. There are now three candidates who have filed for the Board of Education.
Any additional filings leading up to December 27 will be updated in this story.
School board candidates will vie for three open seats during the April 4, 2023 election.
Board members are elected to three-year terms.
Candidates should register in Julie Bell’s office on the second floor of the Washington School District administration building at 220 Locust St. in Washington.
Regular filing hours following the opening day will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The district office will be closed for the winter break from the close of business on Thursday, December 22, through Monday, December 26. It will reopen for the final day of filing on Tuesday, December 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Except for the first and last day of filing, filing will not occur on days that the District is closed due to inclement weather or other health-related reasons.
Board member qualifications include:
All candidates must be at least 24 years of age, U.S. citizens and resident taxpayers of the district, and have resided in Missouri for one year preceding their election.
Candidates cannot be delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes or real property taxes on stated residence.
They also cannot be a registered sex offender, or found guilty or pled guilty to a felony under Missouri law.
Additionally, candidates cannot be convicted or pled guilty to a felony or misdemeanor under federal law.
Candidates must file all required campaign disclosure reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission, when applicable, for all previous elections in which they were candidates.
About the Board
The seven-member Board of Education serves as the governing body for the school district.
The school board sets district policies, selects the superintendent of schools, adopts the annual budget and determines the tax rate.
The school board always holds a reorganization meeting in April following the election. New school board members are sworn in at that time for their new three-year terms.
Bob Oreskovic files for school board on Tuesday morning, December 6.
Bob Oreskovic files for school board on Tuesday morning, December 6.
Rob Horvath files for school board on Tuesday morning, December 6.
Rob Horvath files for school board on Tuesday morning, December 6.