The first half of the News Tribune's two-hour public forum at City Hall on Tuesday night was devoted to asking questions of the six Jefferson City Board of Education candidates running for three available seats on the April 4 ballot: incumbent board Vice President Steve Bruce, Paul Graham, Scott Hovis, Lori Massman, Don Salcedo and Victoria Sterling.
The candidates were asked about their support for the two high school plan, which will also be on the ballot, and what the next steps for the district might be if that plan fails. They were also asked if the two high schools presented in the plan are equitable, how they would address student behavior and discipline problems in the district, and how to restore trust between the board, district and community.
"We wouldn't want them (the teachers) to go to the new shiny high school with stronger morale rather than going to the older high school that is not seen as so shiny. We would want to make sure to have that climate where they feel appreciated and excited to be working at either one of the high schools," Sterling said of teachers needing more support from the district and board, in addition to having their physical school building needs met.
Sterling said she currently would vote no on the two high school plan without further information from the district about the details that satisfies her and the community members she's heard from.
Salcedo said, "I don't know yet. I'm going to have to get some answers," before he can give a definitive answer one way or the other.
The other candidates expressed they would vote yes on the ballot issues.
They all seemed to recognize that the community wants to continue to have input in the district and board's plans, if not more input, whatever the outcome in April.
"The key to this whole election is exit polling, to make sure we get a grasp of what people are thinking when they leave, if they voted yes or no - and if they voted no, find out why, what the reasons were, and then take that information and regroup ourselves," Hovis said of understanding the outcome if the ballot issues fail.
Graham warned though, "Exit polls are not going to give us expert answers. The public wants some expert answers when you're going to commit $130 million to something."
"We need this to pass, but if it doesn't, I would be going door to door, talking to community members, teachers and even some of our students to find out why it didn't pass," Massman said of expanding community outreach efforts by the board.
"We spend a lot of time talking about trust," Bruce said. "You have to. You trust me because you know that I will keep my word when I tell you I'm going to do something, and I do it. And if something comes up, then I come back to you and we have an open line of communication, and we keep that going," he said of what the board has to do to convince people to stand with it.
Video: News Tribune Forum School Board Candidates 2017