Three seek seats on school board

Etienne files for county surveyor's job

LEOPOLD - One incumbent member and two others have filed for two seats on the Perry Central Community School Corp. Board. Voters will fill the positions in the May 6 primary election.

Kevin Etienne is seeking a second term on the school board. Also filing were Carl "Joe" Flamion and Tim Edwards. Longtime school-board member Charlie Etienne is not seeking re-election this year.

Kevin Etienne was elected in 2004 and said he wants to continue working with students and parents.

"Our kids are our future and we have to make sure the education they're receiving is the best we can give them," he said.

Etienne predicted school leaders will continue to face many tough issues, including limited funding. He pledged to continue listening to parents and taxpayers.

"I do get a lot of suggestions (as a school-board member for the past four years) and I'm always open to comments," he added. "I try to make myself available."

Flamion has been a school employee since 1981 and plans to retire if elected to the school board. Involved in the day-to-day maintenance of the school buildings, Flamion said his work experience will be an asset to the board.

"I'm ready to retire, but I still want to be involved with our schools," he said. "I think I can offer the board a lot with my experience in maintenance and knowledge of our school facilities."

Like the other two school-board candidates, Flamion also brings experience as a parent, with three children having graduated from Perry Central Schools.

Edwards, too, wants to have a voice in the education of Perry Central students, which include his fifth- and seventh-grade children.

"I've thought about running for school board for a long time. I want to be involved in kids' education," he said. "I'll be open-minded and I don't have an agenda."

Edwards knows there are challenges all school systems will face in the years ahead, but said he is willing to do his best for "children, community and taxpayers."

Edwards said he has been active in sports programs at Perry Central, as has Flamion.

The three candidates for school board live in different districts, simplifying the voting process. School bylaws limit to two the number of board members who can live in any one of the three districts.

Since the three board members not up for election this year, Stephen Poole, Larry James and Earla Williams, also reside, respectively, in Districts 1, 2 and 3, May's race for school board will be determined by who receives the most votes, with the top two winning seats.

In past school-board elections, the two vote-getters didn't always win seats because of limits on how many members can live in any one district.

Etienne Seeking Surveyor's Job

Glenn Etienne has filed for the office of county surveyor on the Democratic primary ticket. He is seeking to succeed Republican Harold Lynch, who did not seek another term in office.

In his first try for public office, Etienne said he has both the interest and experience to carry out the surveyor's duties. He is a professional engineer by profession but holds an associate's degree in surveying from Vincennes University and has experience setting boundaries.

He also has experience through his employment with global-positioning systems, a technology that has transformed many aspects of surveying and engineering.

Etienne said he hopes to continue the years of work Lynch devoted to searching out boundary markers and cornerstones in the county. "I'd like to continue the tradition he started and to use some of the newer technology."