Bright Futures USA chairman, Anne Sharp file for R-8 Board on final day

Tuesday was the final day for candidates to file for three seats on the Joplin R-8 Board of Education . and two last minute filings spiced up the election.

Nancy Good, chairman of the board for the Bright Futures USA not-for-profit organization, was one of those filing for the one-year seat left open by the resignation of Dawn Sticklen after she transferred her daughter to the Webb City R-7 School District.

The board appointed Shawn McGrew, an unsuccessful candidate in the April 2014 election, to serve until the April election. McGrew did not file. Good had served as his campaign treasurer last year.

Joining Good in the battle for the one-year position are Jennifer Martucci, who applied for the vacancy after Sticklen's resignation, and Melinda Campbell.

The other candidate to file on the final day was Board President Anne Sharp, who has served five three-year terms. The other two filing for two three-year seats are Jeff Koch who ran in the April 2014 election and finished fourth in a field of seven (the top three were elected) and former Joplin Police Chief Lane Roberts.

Both Koch and Roberts also applied after Sticklen's resignation. The board eliminated Roberts and Martucci, saying it wanted to give the seat to someone who had run in April, leaving Koch, who finished fourth and McGrew, who finished sixth.

The board, on a 4-2 vote with Sharp, Mike Landis, Randy Steele and Lynda Banwart casting the majority vote chose McGrew. Board members Debbie Fort and Jim Kimbrough voted against him.

A fourth candidate, Hal Robertson, had filed for the three-year seat, but removed his name from consideration on Tuesday.