School Board Candidate Wayne Oetting Drops Out of Race

School Board member Wayne Oetting, 74, announced he is dropping out of the race. 

Oetting has served 13 terms on the school board. He said he decided not to pursue another term because he promised his wife he would be done. 

"I've been at it for 39 years," he said. "That's more than half my life." 

Oetting said serving on the Board of Education has been a tremendous experience. He said every time he considered not running for re-election, an issue came up that made him stick with it. 

"There's always something to keep you," he said. 

Three Candidates Compete For Two Seats

Now, there are three candidates competing for two open seats in the April. The St. Charles Education Association has not yet endorsed any candidates, said SCEA Representative Lori Wootten. 

Board member Tim Bekebrede is now the only incumbent running. He was elected first in 2009. Bekebrede is employed at Bekebrede Contruction, LLC . His wife, Terri, is a teacher in the district.

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

Political newcomer Sheri Bickmeyer is a parent to children in the district and a former financial administrator. 

Oetting Brought Long-Term Planning to Board

Board president Linda Schulte said she was surprised to hear Oetting was not running again. 

"I thought we were going to have him one more term," she said. 

She said in his time on the board, Oetting has been able to offer guidance for both short-and long-term goals. 

Oetting pushed for the district to invest in a preschool program. More recently, he's pushed for the board to, including the high schools, which are . 

"He's definitely an advocate for children," Schulte said. "He's an advocate for education."

Correction: An earlier version of this article had the incorrect employment for Bekebrede. Patch regrets the error.