Bloomfield Hills School Board Members Go Head to Head for in Race for Short Timer Seat in Fall Election

 Candidates seeking a partial  term.

School Board  members Joan G.Berndt, Jenny Greenwell, and Robert Herner  will compete against each other for a partial Term ending in December 31st 2014. Voters in the School District will vote for one of the above candidates

 Candidates Seeking a Six Year Term

Howard Barron,School Board President Ingrid Day, and W.F. Mogis  will seek a six year term on the Bloomfield Hills School Board in the November 6th  elections. Voters in the Bloomfield Township, City of Bloomfield Hills, and parts of West Bloomfield will choose no more than two of the three candidates.


Strange Combinations you say? Six candidates for three seats but only two of the three incumbents board members can be elected. It is also very possible that only one will be re-elected. That would be Current School President Ingrid Day.

Howard Barron who was a finalist for the vacant Kate Petersen position last fall may now be in the catbird seat for a six year term of office. Barron is well known and liked and has organized and attended  all of the District's partnership outreach meetings. While nothing is certain in politics, Barron's organizational skills should make him and School Board President Ingrid Day the early favorites over newcomer W.F. Mogis.
But in Politics anything Can happen.

Running for the two year partial term is Current School Board Member  Joan Berndt. Last fall in a two week intensive round of interviews with ten candidates Berndt was chosen over fellow finalists Harold Barron and John Roach to fill the Kate Peterson seat. By law she is required to run for the remainder of the Peterson Term at the first opportunity which is this fall's election. If she wins, she will be eligible to run for a full term six year term in 2014. She is not however an advocate of six year terms and may not seek one. The six year term also did not appeal to Jenny Greenwell or School Board Secretary Robert Herner who chose to seek the shorter term Berndt is required to run for.

Ironies abound. Howard Barron the odd man out last fall man be on his way to a six year (till 2018) term on the board this fall.

The Board united in it's support of Joan Berdnt last fall may lose two seats by dividing the school board supporter vote thereby electing  presumed  "arch enemy" Jennie Greenwell with  the Bloomfield Hills 20/20 organization who last fall attempted to recall  the entire school board.

 Greenwell paid the $100 filing fee on August 14th the deadline day. All candidates paid the fee with the exception of Howard Barron  who obtained 100 petition signatures.  Greenwell was a surprise candidate. It was presumed that by now she would be with her husband on assignment in Argentina where Spring is just around the corner but there is still good skiing even this late in Argentine Winter. In Argentina  great wine and great steak are  very reasonably priced. "Yeah like I am going to miss all that so I can work on the Bloomfield Hills board," she said (sounding sarcastic) when talking to a friend in the late days of the Michigan Spring, months ago. Apparently she is. 

Or maybe not all of it. Some see Joan Berndt as tougher competition than Ingrid Day. While poles apart in viewpoint both Jenny and Joan are, articulate, and  persuasive hard workers. Both have taught school, an attribute some of  other candidates lack. While Greenwell may be hurt by  those who opposed "Recall the Board" Berndt will be hurt by the sharing the school boards support vote with Robert Herner.  Herner is reported to have the support of fellow Board member Mark  Bank. Bank a resident of West Bloomfield is expected to bring WB(Precinct 16 and 17)support to Herner.

In addition to the skills the candidates take to the race and their propensity for luck, all will need money and stamina.

In  the recent four candidate, Republican Primary for State Representative, 40th  district(54 precincts, which included all of Bloomfield Township and City, Birmingham and half of West Bloomfield) candidates conservatively spent an estimated $25,000 to $100.000 each.

The School Board candidates will have to cover almost as much geography in 38 precinct race, with a lot less money.

Election Day is November 6th.