Tony Rebo
Photo courtesy Kootenai Valley Record.
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Five running for two seats on Libby School Board
by Kootenai Valley Record
April 18, 2011
Five candidates are vying for two seats on the Libby School Board to be filled in the May 3 election.
The open seats are currently held by Tony Rebo, who is seeking a second term on the board, and Paula Darko-Hensler, who is not running for another term. The other candidates are Lori Benson, Amy Fantozzi, Ruby Kahnt and Matt Skranak.
Voters in the school election will also decide on a $200,00 mill levy proposed by the district to make up part of a projected budget shortfall. The levy represents about 16 mills and would cost the owner of a home with a $100,000 market value about $44 per year.
The election will be held at Asa Wood Elementary with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Following is a look at the candidates for the board:
Tony Rebo
A Libby native and a graduate of Libby High School, Tony Rebo is employed as facility manager at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital. He holds an associate’s degree in business management from the University of Montana and worked as manager of Bonanza 88 Cent stores in Libby, Missoula and Ronan before going to work for St. Regis Paper Co., Champion International and Stimson Lumber. He left Stimson for St. John’s shortly before Stimson closed its Libby mill.
Rebo has four children who have graduated from Libby High School.
Since Rebo joined the board three years ago, the main topic of discussion has been "Asa Wood School and what we’re going to do about it," he said. Rebo said he’s running for another term so he can continue working on the issue as the school district moves ahead with its plan to close Asa Wood and consolidate students into two buildings.
"I didn’t want to just quit right in the middle of it," he said. "I wanted to see it through."
Lori Benson
Lori Benson was born and raised in Alaska and has been a full-time resident of Libby for the past 10 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s in physical therapy from the University of Montana and works in the rehabilitative services department at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital. She and her husband, Neil, have two children, ages 4 and 6.
As a teen, Benson served as student representative for her high school to the school district in Anchorage. She said she’d like to help provide a good future for education in Libby.
"I just see a lot of changes ahead for the school district and the community and want to be a part of making that a positive transition and development," she said.
Benson said she’d bring a parent’s perspective to the board and would consider all sides of an issue before making a decision.
"Interacting with the community in my job, I feel like I can get a lot of feedback and information," she said.
Amy Fantozzi
Amy Fantozzi grew up in Iowa and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and biology from Iowa State University. She’s lived in Libby for four years and is currently a full-time mother to four children, ages 2 through 8. Her husband, Tony, is a Libby native.
"I grew up in a small town, and I wanted to raise my kids in a small town," she said.
Fantozzi said she thinks the school board needs a "broader spectrum" of members.
"I feel like I could be a positive addition, because I have small kids in school, and none of the board members right now have kids in elementary school," she said.
Fantozzi said she would be "an advocate for the little kids" and would keep an open mind about changes in educational philosophy. She said she would listen to other parents and serve as their representative on the board.
"I think it’s important to listen to the community members and try to meet their expectations and their needs," she said.
Ruby Kahnt
A retired government worker and small-business owner, Ruby Kahnt has lived in Libby for the past 11 years. She holds a degree in computer science and worked for various county and state agencies in Arizona before coming to Libby. She owned her own consulting and dog grooming businesses in Arizona and currently runs an internet business and does web design in Libby.
Kahnt said she’s been attending local government meetings for a while and decided it was time to get more involved.
"I just felt, I don’t want to be a couch potato anymore," she said.
Kahnt said she’s always had an interest in public education. She said she would bring a concern for the taxpayers to the board.
"I will not vote for bonds and I will not vote for levies for this community until I see the unemployment rates go down for this community," she said.
Kahnt said she’s also concerned about low test scores and increasing costs for teachers’ salaries, and she feels the two issues should be linked.
"I think raises come when it’s earned," she said.
Matt Skranak
Matt Skranak grew up in Libby and is a graduate of Libby High School. He’s worked in finance for more than 10 years, starting as a loan officer in Washington and returning to Libby to work for Lincoln County Credit Union before taking his current position as business manager at Libby Auto Sales. He and his wife, Amber, have two daughters, with the older of the two in kindergarten this year.
"I thought, what time is better than now to get involved, to play an active role in her education, not only at home but in a place of active service on the board," Skranak said.
Skranak said his financial background could be of service on the board.
"We’re in a budget crunch right now," he said. "It’s nationwide, not just Libby’s public school system."
Skranak said he sees the opportunity to turn a negative situation into a positive future for Libby’s schools. He said he would take a level-headed, rational approach to the issues and is willing to accept the responsibility of making difficult decisions.
Skranak added that there is a need for improved communications between the school board and the public and that he would like to see school officials become more involved in supporting efforts to bring new jobs to the area.
"That, ultimately, is what’s going to bolster Libby’s economy," he said. "It’s going to bolster the school system."
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Editor's Note: See the April 12, 2011 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
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