School Board Races Set as Filing Period Closes in St. Charles

The filing period for residents interested in seats on the St. Charles, Orchard Farm and Francis Howell boards of education closed on Tuesday evening.

Soon, the boards will formally set the ballots. The election will be April 3, 2012.

Two seats on the St. Charles Board of Education are up for election. Four people have registered to run for those seats, which carry a three-year term.

Incumbent Wayne Oetting, 74, is a retired Francis Howell School District administrator who is running for his fourteenth term on the Board of Education. Oetting has served in the past as board secretary, treasurer, vice-president and president.

Oetting will run against incumbent Tim Bekebrede, 52, who was first elected in 2009. Bekebrede is a partner at Conway Contracting. His wife, Terri, is a teacher in the district.

Also running is Marita Malone, 61, is an assistant professor of criminal justice and security at St. Louis University. This is her first time running for a school board seat.

Sheri Bickmeyer, who lives on Black Forest Drive, filed her candidacy on Tuesday afternoon.

Orchard Farm Board of Education

In the Orchard Farm School District, both incumbents Fred Semke and Nancy Goeke filed their candidacies for the two open seats. Semke has served five terms or 15 years on the board, and Goeke has served six terms or 18 years.

Also filing was Kevin Garcia who lives on North Canal Way.

Francis Howell School District

Incumbents Marty Hodits and Stephen Johnson both have filed for seats on the Francis Howell Board of Education.

Both ran in the 2009 election to the school district. Two three-year terms are up for election.

Two other candidates, Eric Seider and Marie Haupt, have also decided to run.

Candidates for the SCC Board of Trustees:

Four candidates filed for three open spots on the Board of Trustees. 

The two six-year terms up for election are currently held by William R. Pundmann—who was elected to a six-year term on April 2006—and Jean Ehlmann, who was elected to a six-year term in May 2006.

William Lohmar currently holds the two-year term. He was appointed to the SCC Board of Trustees in January 2011. He replaced his son, Timothy Lohmar, who was elected as a judge in Missouri’s 11th Judicial Circuit.

Lohmar’s appointment ends in April, and a candidate is needed to fulfill the remaining two years of Timothy Lohmar’s term.

Six Year Term 

• William R. Pundmann (incumbent)
  
• A.C. Dienoff 
• Jean Ehlmann (incumbent) 

Two-year Term 

• William T. Lohmar (incumbent) 
  

Check back with Patch throughout the election season as we speak with candidates.

Correction: An earlier version of this article included the incorrect first name for Kevin Garcia. Patch regrets the error.