Vrentas, Hanson, Clarke elected to school board, levy passes
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 5 months AGO
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | May 2, 2017 9:26 PM
Two incumbents have retained their seats and one newcomer has been elected to the Whitefish School Board.
Incumbents Heather Vrentas and Shannon Hanson won re-election and Katie Clarke earned a seat on the board in Tuesday’s election. Cate Catina had also been seeking a spot on the board.
Clarke earned 1,284 votes, Vrentas earned 1,216 and Hanson got 1,092, while Catina tallied 907 votes, according to the district.
Voters also approved an operations levy for the elementary district with 1,167 votes in favor and 825 against.
The $230,000 mill levy is intended to make up for budgetary shortfalls in the district. Without the levy, the elementary district faced a $67,000 shortfall and the school district as a whole is expected to have a shortfall of $160,000.
The levy will increase annual taxes on a home with a value of $200,000 by about $12.18 per year.
Voter turnout in the election was 17.9 percent with 2,006 ballots cast.
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