There's no shortage of growth and change in Tooele County these days, so it's only fitting the Tooele Board of Education will have a new look next year.

Three of the board's five members are stepping down at the end of 1996. Voters will choose their successors Nov. 5.One of the six candidates will look familiar, though. Myron Bateman, vying for the District 1 seat being vacated by Vivian Faddis, served on the school board from 1984-91. He is opposed by Donna Davis, a local radio news broadcaster.

In District 2, Tooele County engineer J. Raymond Johnson is facing former Grantsville city administrator Jerry Medina. Frank Mohlman did not seek re-election.

Stansbury Park Community Association President Shawna Kendell opposes recent college graduate Daniel Pacheco for the District 3 vacancy. Kendell was first and Pacheco finished second in a four-way primary race in June. Gene White did not seek re-election.

All of the candidates agree that contending with the area's rapid growth should be the district's primary concern over the next four years. They differ, though, on their strategies for handling the problems associated with growth. And none wants to think about having to direct the district's future if a $10 million school construction bond issue, which also goes to voters Nov. 5, does not pass.

Bateman believes the district is not being financially accountable. He said the district might be able to save money by eliminating some administrative positions. Davis said that while financial issues are paramount, the district also must pay close attention to the "community problems" caused by growth.

Johnson said he wants to use his expertise in financing and maintaining facilities to help the district, but he is also concerned about the stress the district's teachers have to endure. Medina, who organized funding and construction of a new City Hall for Grantsville, said he can help the district come up with creative ways to finance needed construction projects and hire more teachers.

Kendell said she wants to help bring more tax revenue to the county to help it change its status as primarily a bedroom community for the Wasatch Front. Pacheco said the district must prepare for the diverse population the area's growth is bringing in but said it must not ignore more rural areas and communities within the county that are not growing as quickly as others.

District 1 consists of the southern portion of the city of Tooele. District 2 includes northern, eastern and southeastern parts of the city of Tooele. District 3 includes a portion of the city of Tooele north of 400 North, Erda, Lake Point, Lincoln and Stansbury Park, and stretches east to the Oquirrh Mountains.

School board elections in Utah are nonpartisan.

DISTRICT 1

Myron E. Bateman

Address: 630 Kingston Drive, Tooele

Age: 43

Occupation: Director of the Tooele County Health Department

Experience: He is running for his third term on the Board of Education. He served previously from 1984-1991 before narrowly losing his bid for re-election.

Personal: Wife Miriam, four children. He was born and raised in Tooele.

Biggest issue facing district: Long-range planning, budget growth, finances.

Reason to vote for him: "I've been going to school board meetings for a year. I have kids in the school system. My opponent has never been to a school board meeting."

Gay/lesbian school clubs: "I don't have a position on that. I don't think it's an issue. I don't want to address the issue until it becomes an issue."

Other: Bateman questions whether all of the district's principals and administrators are being effective. He believes some positions may not be necessary. "I think every administrative position needs to be reviewed."

Donna B. Davis

Address: 47 N. Glenwood Ave., Tooele

Age: 53

Occupation: Part-time news broadcaster for KTLE radio

Experience: Served on Stansbury Park Homeowners Association, active in PTA

Personal: Husband Lowell, four children, one grandchild. Originally from Idaho, Tooele resident since age 14.

Biggest issue facing district: Growth and community problems it creates.

Reason to vote for her: "I'm an open-minded person. I'm well-organized. I have a commitment to children. I have time to put into this position, and I'm active and know what's going on in the district."

Gay/lesbian school clubs: "I think clubs the schools endorse should be in line with the things they're studying in school."

Other: "I'm at a time in my life when I don't have responsibility for children at home, but I still feel I have a responsibility to the world and the community and felt this was a good venue for me to get involved."

DISTRICT 2

J. Raymond Johnson

Address: 560 Pioneer Ave., Tooele

Age: 57

Occupation: Engineer for Tooele County since 1991

Experience: Served on Tooele City Council for five years, 1983-88, and nine years on the city's Planning Commission, past president Tooele County Chamber of Commerce.

Personal: Wife Pamela, three children. Born and raised in Tooele.

Biggest issue facing district: Growth, financing and maintaining facilities.

Reason to vote for him: "Because of my experience, and because I'm a hard worker and I'm honest."

Gay/lesbian school clubs: "Generally, I'm against that sort of thing. It's a touchy issue that may have to be addressed by the law of the land." Johnson said he doesn't think the matter should be left for school districts to decide because that could lead to a variety of policies throughout the state.

Other: Johnson stressed that as county engineer he has worked on a number of important construction projects and feels that experience will be valuable to the district as it prepares for expansion.

Jerry P. Medina

Address: 546 Salton, Tooele

Age: 35

Occupation: City recorder for the city of Taylorsville

Experience: Former Grantsville city administrator, serves on Tooele County Hospital Special Service District Board of Directors and is chairman of that board's finance committee.

Personal: Wife Arleen, two children. Born and raised in Grantsville.

Biggest issue facing district: Growth and finances.

Reason to vote for him: "I think I represent the average Tooele County resident. I don't come from a background of money, I don't belong to an elite group within the community and therefore I feel I can represent everyone."

Gay/lesbian school clubs: "I'm against any club that makes a reference to sexual preference. . . . That has nothing to do with education."

Other: "I've got a strong background in finance and feel like I've been able to find ways to finance projects that people thought were impossible. I'm not afraid to make tough decisions."

DISTRICT 3

Shawna R. Kendell

Address: 405 Country Club Road, Stansbury Park

Age: 35

Occupation: Secretary for a psychology clinic in Salt Lake City

Experience: Kendell is president of the Stansbury Park Community Association and has served on the association for eight years.

Personal: Born in Aberdeen, Idaho, eight-year Tooele County resident, married to Murray Kendell, three children.

Biggest issue facing district: Growth and finding tax dollars to support it

Reason to vote for her: "I think between myself and my opponent, I have the most experience with school-age kids. I'm in touch with what's going on."

Gay/lesbian school clubs: "I'd like to see it handled through the Legislature. I think clubs are good things to have in schools. I think we need to be selective as to whether the types of clubs are going to be beneficial to the community as a whole, not just a select group."

Other: "I would like to see a closer communication between the School Board and the school administration and parents."

Daniel L. Pacheco

Address: 459 Linden, Tooele.

Age: 33.

Occupation: Recent graduate of Westminster College (bachelor's degree in marketing management), volunteer with the Salt Lake Olympic Committee.

Experience: Past president of both the Salt Lake Community College chapter of Delta Epsilon Chi and the community college's alumni council.

Personal: Born and raised in Lincoln, divorced with a 7-year-old son.

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Biggest issue facing district: Growth and the diversity it will bring.

Reason to vote for him: "I have experience working with boards of directors such as Salt Lake Community College alumni, Salt Lake Community College Board of Trustees, Junior Achievement, the United Way as well as familiarity with the Olympic Committee."

Gay/lesbian school clubs: He does not feel such clubs have a place in public schools. "That comes into values, and things the family needs to teach."

Other: "I realize that because it's such a large county, the needs throughout the district are going to be different. My aim is to be aware of those needs and try to work with people in all of the areas."

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