Two R-XIII Board Members Seated

As his last official act as a board of education member for the St. Clair R-XIII School District on Thursday night, Gilbert Hoffman helped officially to approve the certified April 3 election results that placed Steve Pelton and Mike Drewel on the seven-member board.

Pelton was re-elected to a second three-year term by receiving 548 votes cast in the school district, or 48.9 percent. Drewel got 396 votes, or 35.7 percent, to earn his first term and replace Hoffman, who opted not to seek a 14th term. Hoffman served the school district for 39 consecutive years.

The other board candidate, Billy Masson, received 14.7 percent of the tally in getting 165 votes. There were 11 write-ins.

School board secretary Joyce Strothcamp administered the oath office to the two men, which included a statement that the board members will “abide and uphold the St. Clair R-XIII Board Member Code of Ethics and will faithfully demean myself in office.”

Before surrendering his chair, Hoffman thanked the other board members and said St. Clair “is a great school district.”

He was given a standing ovation.

The board then decided on its officers for the next year, and only one change was made. Andy Geisert unanimously was picked to be the group’s vice president. Hoffman served in that capacity previously.

Dave Berkel was chosen to remain board president, Tracy Komo will continue duties as treasurer and Strothcamp, who is a paid employee of the district as Superintendent Mike Murphy’s administrative assistant, again will be the board secretary.

All were retained unanimously.