Lindsay Metcalf Snags Concordia School Board Seat as Write-In Candidate
Write-in candidate Lindsay Metcalf of Concordia claimed the fourth school board seat up for election in the Tuesday, November 7th general election.
Metcalf, with an unofficial count of 264 votes, joins Mike Cleveland, Amber Lambertz and Incumbent Jenny Parker in being elected to four-year terms on the USD 333 Concordia Board of Education.
Metcalf, a Concordia High School graduate, journalist and author, entered the race in October after no one filed for the District 1, Position 1 seat that is presently held by Board President Bryan Bombardier. As the parent of two junior high students, Metcalf said she's proud of the progress the district had made with the recent reopening of the middle school and she wants to see that progress continue with similar-scale renovations at the high school and junior high. She also ran because she'd love to see USD 333 Concordia expand its partnership with Cloud County Community College, as well as develop better systems for accountability with bullying and harassment district-wide.
The Cloud County Review Board met on Wednesday, November 8th to count write-in votes from this year's election. The Cloud County Clerk's Office reported 382 write-in votes were cast for the District 1, Position 1 seat, with Metcalf collecting 69.1% of the write-in votes.
All votes are unofficial until the Cloud County Board of Commissioners canvass the election results on Monday, November 20th.
Parker, who was appointed by the school board to her Position 2, Sub-District 2 seat on April 10, 2023, filling a seat left vacant following this year's resignation of board member Mark Nordell, officially won re-election against no opposition on Tuesday. Parker, a Foster Care Administrator for the Northwest and Southwest Region for the Kansas Department for Children and Families, won a full four-year term by receiving 951 votes.
Cleveland, a 1970 graduate of Concordia High School, won the District 3, Position 3 seat with 630 votes. Cleveland, a retired National Sales Manager for Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc. and a farmer with Higher Ground Farms, LLC, fills a seat that was left vacant this summer after board member Tony Miller resigned his position after accepting a job as an assistant football coach at Concordia High School. Cleveland now holds two elected positions in the county. Earlier this year, Cleveland was appointed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to fill the Cloud County Commission seat that became vacant following the resignation of Mark Matthew due to family and health concerns.
Lambertz, an agent with Farm Bureau Financial Services, also secured a four-year term on the board by capturing 597 votes to win the Member At-Large position. This year marked the second time Lambertz had sought a position on the board of education. Lambertz previously ran for the District 3, Position 6 seat in 2021, but was defeated by current board member Brad Berk in that year's general election.
Challenger Bryan Cleveland captured 489 votes, failing to win a seat on the board.
Challenger Jerlynn Johnston also failed to win a position, garnering 332 votes.
USD 333 Concordia Board of Education
Position 1, Sub-District 1
Write-In Votes - 382 votes (100%)
Position 2, Sub-District 2
Jenny Parker - 951 votes (97.24%)
Write-In Votes - 27 votes (2.76%)
Position 3, Sub-District 3
Mike Cleveland - 630 votes (57.59%)
Jerlynn Johnston - 332 votes (30.35%)
Tony Miller - 121 votes (11.06%)
Write-In Votes - 11 votes (1.01%)
Member At-Large
Amber Lambertz - 597 votes (54.52%)
Bryan Cleveland - 489 votes (44.66%)
Write-In Votes - 9 votes (0.82%)