By DANIELLE RUSH
Kokomo-Center School Board candidates appear to be picking sides leading up to the May 4 election.
There are eight candidates for the three at-large board positions, including incumbents Joe Dunbar and Karen B. Sosbe.
The remaining candidates are Barbara Gainer, Mickey Hart, Willard H. Rice, Crystal Sanburn, Josh Spencer and Corey Summers.
Jim Callane, who currently is the third at-large board member, is not running for re-election.
Reports were circulating that Dunbar, Gainer, Sanburn and Sosbe would run as a group, and Rice, Spencer and Summers were forming a group as well.
Dunbar confirmed he is part of a group of candidates finalizing plans to run as part of a team. He said plans were to be completed Monday evening, and he can discuss more details, including who is on that team, after the meeting.
He said running together allows the group to pool its resources to get its message out.
“This group has the school system at heart, and none of us have any kind of special interests whatsoever,” he said.
Sanburn said she was invited to a meeting to talk about the idea of running as a group, but she didn’t know any specifics.
“I think it’s a great concept to try to save money and be good stewards of the money you have. It’s an expensive project. If you’re like-minded, sometimes that might run out for the best.”
Sosbe said candidates are supporting one another and have talked about needing to run a positive campaign.
Rice and Summers both said they were not part of a group, and Summers said he hadn’t heard anything about groups forming to run together.
“If they are, tell them to add me in there,” he said, adding that it would be nice to share advertising expenses.
Rice said he would not be interested.
“I’m on my own,” he said.
Gainer, Hart and Spencer could not be reached for comment.
• Danielle Rush is the Kokomo Tribune education reporter. She can be reached at 765-454-8585 or danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com.
Candidates at-large:
• Joe Dunbar, incumbent.
• Barbara Gainer.
• Mickey Hart.
• Willard H. Rice.
• Crystal Sanburn.
• Karen B. Sosbe, incumbent.
• Josh Spencer.
• Corey Summers.
