The four-way race for the two open seats on the Lindbergh Schools Board of Education saw the most money of any local school board or aldermanic contest in the April 2 elections, according to campaign finance reports from the Missouri Ethics Commission.
In that race, incumbent Megan Vedder and newcomer to public office Rachel Braaf Koehler won over David Kirschner and David Randelman.
Many candidates for local office do not file reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission since candidates only have to file financial disclosure reports if their committees received more than $500 in contributions, spent more than $500 on the campaign or have a contributor, aside from the candidate, who donated more than $325.
In Sunset Hills, incumbent May Pat Fribis reported in her April quarterly report that her campaign took in $1,045 in contributions, while her filings eight days before the election showed $2,697 in contributions for the period between Feb. 18 and March 21. Of that, she spent $2,836.22 on printing costs for campaign materials, as well as $20 for a voter list.
Also in Sunset Hills, former Ward 2 Alderman Christine Lieber challenged incumbent Ward 2 Alderman Casey Wong, in the only competitive race for the city’s Board of Aldermen.
According to Lieber’s filings with the Missouri Ethics Commission, she did not receive any itemized contributions to her campaign. However, she did spend $7,966.21 on her campaign, including two separate payments of $1,181.35 to a firm in Dallas, Majority Strategies LLC, for message drafting about her campaign and opponent.
The race for the Lindbergh Schools Board of Education featured four candidates seeking two open seats. Incumbent Megan Vedder and newcomer to public office Rachel Braaf Koehler defeated David Kirschner and David Randelman.
Braaf Koehler reported $1,800 in itemized contributions in her April quarterly report and spent $3,769.58, including $3,421.78 for mailers. Her report eight days before the election shows $3,867.28 in itemized contributions.
Vedder received $3,700 in donations according to her report eight days before the election, and no additional contributions on her April quarterly report.
Both Lindbergh candidates David Kirschner and David Randelman received $900 from Martin Bennet during their campaigns. Bennet works as the regional manager for Common Goal Systems, a company based in Elmhurst, Illinois, that offers various services to both public and private schools through the internet including standards-based learning software.
Bennet also donated a $10,000 contribution to the St. Louis County Family Association Political Action Committee, and provided an $11,279 in-kind contribution, according to Missouri Ethics Commission reports. The PAC made contributions of $1,939.74 each to the campaigns of Kirschner and Randelman.
In Mehlville, Hassler reported $781.25 in contributions to her campaign, including $62.50 from the Missouri National Education Association PAC, and $550 from her husband, William Hassler.
Venki Palamand received a $200 donation from former Mehlville school board member Dan Fowler, in addition to another $4,700 in donations, including a $500 donation to himself. According to MEC records, Palamand spent about $4,228.44 in printing and mailing campaign literature.
