Greenfield School Board Field Whittled Down to Six

Several familiar names and faces — and a few newcomers as well — will square off for three Greenfield School Board seats April 3, after six candidates survived Tuesday’s primary.

Among them is Cathy Walsh, an 18-year School Board veteran, who is trying to reclaim a seat after a two-year hiatus. Walsh was the top vote-getter in Tuesday’s election after finishing first or second in two separate Greenfield Patch polls posted in recent weeks.

Walsh received 868 votes Tuesday. Vote totals are unofficial until certified by the Board of Canvassars. 

"What’s nice or me is, especially after losing my last election after 18 years — that was very hard for me — I like to think people still believe in me," Walsh said. "It’s heartening for me. I really want to thank the people that voted for me.

"If I do prevail in the general election, I’m an extremely hard worker and will do my best to represent the students and the taxpayers, which I felt I had done for 18 years."

Also among the six finalists is Russ Spahn, who retired as the City of Greenfield’s fire chief June 1, after spending 30 years with the department and nine years with the city’s Division of Public Works. Spahn, whose bid for a seat was unsuccessful last spring, claimed 821 votes, good for second.

Political newcomer Len Cich, a frequent attendee at School Board and Common Council meetings, finished third with 679 votes, followed by Brad Sponholz, a registered nurse at the Medical College of Wisconsin, with 623.

Rick Moze, a School Board member since 2009 and one of just three incumbents seeking reelection, was fifth with 617 votes. Paul Palama, who was eliminated from last year’s election in the primary, was sixth with 553 votes, 28 more than former Board member Mike Gierl (525 votes), who was eliminated from contention.

The remaining candidates have been invited to a forum hosted by the Greenfield Parents for Education at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, at the high school's performing arts center. For more on all the candidates, be sure to check out this questionnaire.

Also on the primary ballot was a race with three candidates for Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge. Greenfield favored Nelson Wesley Phillips (854 votes) and Christopher Lipscomb Sr. (785) over Carolina Maria Stark (506).