One newcomer, three incumbents for Cedar Rapids school board

CEDAR RAPIDS - Only one new face will grace the Cedar Rapids school board, as the three incumbents were re-elected Tuesday.

John Laverty, Ann Rosenthal and Mary Meisterling retain their seats - two at-large and District 1 respectively - for another four years.

“I appreciate the confidence the community has in me,” said Rosenthal, who was first elected to the school board in 1999.

Almost 8,000 ballots were cast, according to unofficial results from the Linn County Auditor's Office.

Rosenthal garnered the most votes in the at-large race - almost 30 percent - with the board's current president, Laverty, a close second at nearly 29 percent.

“I'm just happy that the voters decided we're on the right path,” said Laverty, who has served on the board since 2007.

Along with him and Rosenthal, Matt Ford, Karen Hartlep and Kathy Ulrich were in the running for the two at-large seats.

Allen Witt, who ran against Sunny Story for the District 4 seat, is the board's new face, winning nearly 58 percent of the votes cast.

Witt said he's happy to be in a position to help move education forward. In addition to addressing the immediate issues facing the board, specifically the district's enrollment and facilities study, Witt wants to see an increase in parent involvement. He said he hopes the unusually high voter turnout - 5.04 percent, according to preliminary unofficial results - is an indication of what's to come.

“People got more information, more engaged, this (election), which can only benefit the district,” Witt said.

Meisterling, who was challenged by Dustin Weiland, received 66 percent of the votes cast in the District 1 race.

“I'm happy to serve,” Meisterling said. “The school board and our education system is so important to me. Public education is the equalizer for all students.”

Meisterling, the board's vice president, was first elected to her seat in 2002.

The nine people campaigning for four seats made this election one of the most contested in recent district history. Meisterling said she commends all of the candidates and hopes that they'll continue to stay connected with the school district as it continues to move forward.