Onalaska school board candidates debated Tuesday

Only one of three candidates actually on ballot

The three candidates running for two spots on the Onalaska School Board each made their case to the voters Tuesday night.

The oddity in the race is, of course, that only one candidate is actually on the ballot for the April 5 election.

That candidate, Jake Speed, again referenced the issue of the board spending thousands of dollars in legal fees dealing with getting the incumbents Ann Garrity – the current school board president – and Tim Smaby on the ballot. Both Garrity and Smaby filed nomination papers incorrectly, rendering them ineligible to be on the ballot.

Speed called it wasteful spending, while Smaby, who’s running for his second term, said it was his right to be on the ballot and applauded the administration for fighting for him.

Smaby and Garrity are seemingly running a campaign together, with each candidate closing the night by asking support for the other, as well.

The three candidates did spar on several issues, including wise spending, teacher compensation and the effectiveness of the current board in general.

Speed stated the board rubber stamps everything the administration says, while Garrity pointed to that as a board that works together.