Endorsements: Coghill, Intihar, Knicker, Mathieson for Wheaton-Warrenville Dist. 200 board

The Wheaton-Warrenville District 200 race has attracted a large crowd of nine candidates running for four seats. Incumbents Joann Coghill, Barbara Intihar and Ken Knicker all deserve to be retained. All three bring wide-ranging experience and have been part of a board that has been able to maintain a balanced budget, has funds in reserve and started to implement new Common Core standards. Despite these successes, the board also needs to address some ongoing technology issues in the schools. To fill the fourth seat, James Mathieson gets the endorsement. Mathieson, with his background as a CPA and auditor, stresses the need for long-range strategic planning and will bring a needed perspective to the board. The other candidates raise some relevant concerns. Harold Lonks, an accountant, and Kyle Nenninger, a lawyer and financial adviser, have keyed in on fiscal and technology issues. Also on the ballot are architect Brad Paulsen, retiree Janet “Jan” Shaw and Bruce C. Fogerty. Hanging over the race is the upcoming referendum on the Jefferson Early Childhood Center. If the $17.6 million proposal to replace the facility is rejected by voters, whoever is elected to the board will have to reassess and perhaps revise the plan.