By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

Following Monday’s USD 489 school board meeting, veteran board member Greg Schwartz told Hays Post he will run for the Ellis County school board election scheduled for April 7 and plans to officially put his name in the hat Tuesday or Wednesday.

“I have the paperwork all filled out. I am planning to file (Tuesday) if I don’t get bogged down by paperwork,” said Schwartz, a local attorney and longest-serving member.

“I have invested 12 years into this. … We are starting to make progress and working for continued progress,” he said. “The decisions we are making now will really have am impact for the future of education in Hays.”

Schwartz said budget issues — “some of them self-created” by past administration and some based on decisions coming out of Topeka — remain the board’s biggest challenge.

Schwartz is one of four USD 489 school board members whose seats are open this election year.

The other three are those of board president James Leiker, board vice-president Marty Patterson and board member Sarah Rankin.

Rankin has said she will run, but has yet to officially file.

Both Leiker and Patterson have also not officially filed as of Monday.

The Ellis County city and school election is scheduled April 7, and the filing deadline is Jan. 27.

Applications can be picked up at Ellis County Clerk’s office located inside the new county building at 718 Main in Hays.

For more information, contact the Ellis County clerk’s office at (785) 628-9410.