By Krystal J. Carman
February 11, 2009 — Voters in Rogers County voiced their opinions in Tuesday’s election by choosing new and current school board members to various school districts and approving a bond issue for ambulance services. Of the 32,984 registered voters, only 2,925, or 8 percent, took part in the election.
OTEMS
Voters in the Oologah-Talala Emergency Medical Services district have chosen to keep the ambulance service in business by approving a $1 million bond issue.
Approximately 62 percent of 951 voters in the district voted for the issue, keeping OTEMS in the business of saving lives.
Now the entity may be able to re-hire some 10 employees who were let go in December after discovering the August passage of the issue was null and void due to non-publishing. At the time of the lay offs, OTEMS board president Jack Griggs said if the issue passed again, personnel would be brought back slowly.
The passage of the $1 million bond issue was crucial to OTEMS operations due to the “gap between income and costs” due to inflation and the current state of the nation’s economy.
Claremore School Board
Patrick Gotcher beat out incumbent and vice president Jerry Hastings for a seat on the Claremore School Board. Gotcher garnered the victory with 64 percent of the vote with the final count being 450-252.
Gotcher, 42, is a former Claremore teacher, administrator, coach and bus driver. He is married to wife Cheri and the couple has three children attending Claremore schools.
Chelsea School Board
Incumbent W. Vernon Salyer will retain his seat on the Chelsea School Board. Salyer won out over Lori L. Milam 123-105.
This will be Salyer’s second term on the board and he says he would like to see the elementary students on the same campus as the intermediate, junior high and high schools. In addition, he would like to see the district’s test scores improve and increase parent involvement.
Salyer, 45, is married to wife Carol with two children attending Chelsea schools.
Oologah-Talala School Board
Lorrie McGlothlin will retain her seat on the Oologah-Talala School Board. McGlothlin won the election over opponent Barry Kirkendall 525-415.
McGlothlin, 46, has been an algebra teacher at Claremore-Sequoyah Junior High School for the past six years. She believes her experience as a teacher gives her a unique perspective as a school board member.
McGlothlin is married to husband John with two daughters, one of whom is an Oologah-Talala student.
Foyil School Board
Edgar D. Hutchinson will serve his fourth term on the Foyil School Board after he defeated former school board member Donald Storie.
Hutchinson, 50, is looking forward to the district growing in a good direction and would like the district to provide a new, larger cafeteria to accommodate all students in one central location for meals.
Hutchinson is married to wife Shirley and the couple has four children, one of whom is a junior at Foyil schools.
