Interest in running for elected office has been unusually high in Umatilla and Morrow counties this spring, and we are pleased to see voters in Pendleton School District have so many choices for the Pendleton school board.

Position 1

Voters have a choice between two newcomers running for the seat currently held by Steve Umbarger. Beth Harrison is a community volunteer, part-time medical biller, homemaker and mother to seven children. Rodney Thompson is a retired locksmith who worked with the high school’s foreign exchange student program for 20 years.

The school board could benefit from the perspective of a deeply involved parent of children at multiple grade levels in Pendleton School District, and we recommend voters choose Harrison.

Position 4

While voters will see three new names on the ballot for the seat currently held by Gary George, Chris Garrigues told the East Oregonian he has decided to drop out of the race. That leaves a choice of Preston Eagleheart or Joey GrosJacques. Eagleheart is managing director of Cayuse Government Services and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. GrosJaques is director of TRIOS Student Support Services for Blue Mountain Community College and a former Pilot Rock school board member.

While both bring something to the table, we believe Eagleheart’s experience, including directing a technology solutions center during a time when schools need strong online options, would be most beneficial to the district.

Position 7

Board chair Debbie McBee is not running again for Position 7, leaving a choice between Briana Spencer and Patrick Gregg. Spencer is currently a computer support technician, with a history of volunteerism and activism in the community. Gregg is an attorney at Corey, Byler and Rew.

Both are excellent candidates, and it is unfortunate that voters must choose one or the other. In considering which candidate to endorse, however, Spencer recently won a seat on the Nixyaawii Community School Board, and state law does not allow a person to sit on the board of both a charter school and its sponsoring district, meaning Spencer would have to resign from one if she won both. With that in mind, we believe the community would be best served by choosing Gregg for the Pendleton board, while Spencer serves on the Nixyaawii board for at least one term.