Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Education Fund Board President Robin Crossan is the first official candidate for one of three open Steamboat Springs School Board seats.

Crossan has served on the Fund Board, which administers the city's half-cent sales tax for education, since 2002. On Thursday afternoon, Crossan submitted her candidacy petition at the school district office. She will run for the District 4 school board seat held by Char Rusk.

"We need to restore credibility to our school district and do the best job for the students in our school district so they can succeed when they go out in to the world," Crossan said. "We also need to get our priorities set, and the kids come first."

Anne Muhme, the district's assistant to the superintendent, said Crossan is the only person to turn in a completed petition. Crossan's petition was verified Friday.

"I anticipate receiving more petitions on Monday," Muhme said.

Rusk, who was appointed in June to finish the term vacated when Pat Gleason resigned, said Wednesday she intends to run because she's "interested in moving the district in a positive direction."

In addition to Rusk's seat, two other School Board seats in Steamboat are up for grabs in the November election, while two are open in Hayden, and five of seven seats are open in South Routt.

In Steamboat, board members Jeff Troeger and Jerry Kozatch also have said they intend to run for their seats, but none have turned in a completed petition.

Steamboat Springs resident Lisa Brown confirmed her candidacy Wednesday, although she has yet to turn in her nominating petition. Brown plans to run for the District 2 seat held by Troeger.

"I have 14 years of education ahead of me in my family, so what happens in the school district impacts my children, as well as many other children in our area," said Brown, who has a daughter in kindergarten and a son in third grade.

Troeger previously has said his motivation for running is to "continue on volunteering."

"There are a lot of things we got started that I want to follow through with," he said.

The petition deadline is Friday. Interested candidates must gather 50 signatures from registered voters who live within the school district's boundaries. Hayden and South Routt candidates only need 25 signatures.

- To reach Mike McCollum, call 871-4208

or e-mail mmccollum@steamboatpilot.com