By Jeremy Adragna
C & G Staff Writer

HAZEL PARK — Despite the efforts of a large group of contenders, longtime Hazel Park District Schools board members Melvin Rasmusson and Clinton Adkins will return to the Board of Education for another four years.

Sherrie Polowski, a former PTA Council president, was also elected to serve out the remainder of the term that was left vacant by Richard A. Matkin, who resigned in December 2007.

During an election held on Tuesday, May 6 voters cast ballots for two separate elections, one for the remainder of Matkin’s term, which expires on June 30, 2011, and for two four-year terms currently held by Rasmusson and Adkins.

In all, nine candidates signed up to run for the three open seats.

Adkins said he was out talking to voters during the election. He said he was surprised by the wide margin of victory he and Rasmusson received over four other challengers vying for the seats. Many voters, he said, agreed with his position about the district’s finances.

“I thought it would be a lot closer,” said Adkins. “The people that voted for us know the financial situation that the district is in. They know you can’t reopen schools when you’re already in a deficit. That would put us another $1 million in debt.”

In 2007, the Board of Education voted to close Ford and Longfellow elementary schools prior to last year’s school board election.  The affirmative vote was the reason two board members were ousted during that election and its effects are still felt today.

Some on the current Board of Education have put forward ideas to re-open or at least reuse the two closed schools. Others contend the district’s current financial position remains too unstable to do so.

Rasmusson said he and Adkins had a lot of support from voters who worked hard to get them re-elected.

“This is an example of citizens coming together who believe the schools are being run fair and in a good manner,” said Rasmusson.

Adkins took the largest number of votes with more than 30 percent, Rasmusson took more than 26 percent of votes. Ballots cast for challengers Ed Bullock and T.J. Tabin totaled more than 14 percent each, while Kim Kuck took nearly eight percent and John Meacham received nearly 7 percent.

Polowski, a 43-year-old parent, has said she plans to implement a language program for all students in kindergarten through 12th-grade. She also wants to increase summer school programs and stabilize the district’s budget, which nearly reached a $2 million deficit before district officials decided to close the two elementary schools.

Polowski took almost 60 percent of votes that were cast for the partial-term election. Challengers Dean Dittenber and Garry Harrison took nearly 15 percent and 25 percent respectively.

“I’ve worked with a lot of families through volunteering,” said Polowski. “They know me and they know I’m going to do a good job for the kids. I’m going to do the best job I can and make the best decisions.”

Polowski said she is gratified that the electorate chose her just months after the Board of Education voted to appoint her just prior to the election.

“Being elected is fabulous but it’s a lot different then being appointed,” said Polowski. “Now I can really buckle down and get to business and do what’s best for the kids.”

Of Hazel Park’s 12,735 registered voters, 985 cast ballots during the election. The voter turnout was 7.73 percent of registered voters in nine precincts in Hazel Park. The results of the election had not been finalized last week and are considered unofficial.