District 20 candidates emphasize safety, deferred maintenance and targeted spending in facilities plans

Candidates for the Academy School District 20 board told voters they would prioritize safety, maintenance and student outcomes when considering budgets, reserves and potential bond or mill-levy measures.

At a candidate forum at Liberty High School, several hopefuls pointed to a long list of deferred maintenance in the district and said any decision on new taxes should be guided by clear priorities and evidence of benefit to students. "When we're thinking about priorities, we need to think in terms of what is the best benefit to the most amount of students," said Renee Malloy Ludlam, a candidate and longtime District 20 resident.

The candidates described different practical approaches. Susan Payne, an incumbent board member, cited recent federal grant support for a new Air Academy High School and recommended multi-year planning that aligns maintenance with demographic changes. "We have to prioritize not only for the first year, then the year ahead, but then three and five years out," Payne said, referencing a federal grant she said funded about 80% of a new build with a 20% local match voted on in a prior bond.

Several candidates highlighted safety-related capital needs as top priorities. Eddie Waldrop said safety and basic maintenance — such as functional doors and working plumbing — must come before discretionary spending. "If we have a clean and functional environment that is conducive to learning and our kids feel safe and proud to be in there," Waldrop said, "we're more likely to retain teachers and improve outcomes."

Other candidates framed budgeting decisions around long-term population and facility planning. Brandon Clark urged the board to consider population density and which schools are likely to remain open over the next five years before recommending capital measures. Holly Tripp said spending decisions should be tied to student outcomes and program fidelity: "You have to know the why before you say the what or the how much."

Several candidates warned against using limited taxpayer dollars on issues they said are not common in the district. Renee Malloy Ludlam noted the district's reported funding rank and cautioned that litigation or other low-frequency pursuits could divert money from maintenance and classroom needs.

The forum did not include any formal district fiscal proposals or votes. Candidates urged clearer communication with voters about prioritized projects and said any bond or levy proposal should show specific benefits to students.

Looking ahead, candidates said they would press for more transparent, multi-year capital plans and stronger links between spending and measurable student outcomes before endorsing additional tax measures.