Cline, Fanning win South Putnam School Board bids

Two incumbents, one of them a longtime member, will be succeeded on the South Putnam School Board come January.

Challenger Lee Cline overcame incumbent Wesley Hacker for the board’s seat representing Jefferson Township in Tuesday’s elections, while Wade Fanning won his bid over Gregg Hinchman for Warren Township.

Cline accrued 1,077 total votes over Hacker’s 669, While Fanning gained 1,142 votes to Hinchman’s 558.

Saying he was honestly glad to win his seat, Cline related that doing what he feels is best for the community and positively representing South Putnam would be his foci.

“I definitely want to do what’s best for our teachers and our students; obviously we have those first in mind,” Cline told the Banner Graphic following the results being announced. “I want to retain the best teachers possible and I want to help them any way possible.”

Cline added that he is a “big sports guy.” As such, he suggested that he looks forward to promoting South Putnam’s athletics.

Cline emphasized that he wants the school corporation to be financially sound and not raise taxes related to its upkeep. Otherwise, he professed that working together with staff and administrators is key.

“The more that we’re on the same page, the better off we’ll be, and the easier that process is,” Cline said. “If there’re any problems or concerns that need to be addressed, the school board’s there to make sure everything’s going in the right direction.”

Keeping his remarks brief, Hacker, who has served on the board since 2010, commended Cline for running. He added that he would be open to Cline should he ever need guidance.

“One reason why I ran was to make a change, and he ran to make a change,” Hacker said. “Hopefully it will be the right change and it’s going in the right direction.”

“It has been a pleasure to represent Jefferson Township and be a board member at South Putnam for all these years,” Hacker said also, noting that South Putnam facility- and maintenance-wise has improved greatly in his tenure.

Speaking briefly to the Banner Graphic Wednesday morning, Fanning echoed Cline’s sentiment about retaining quality staff. For him, working with teachers and administrators is about having an open mind and being accessible.

“The teachers truly need a voice for them, for the students and community in general,” Fanning said as a teacher at Mill Creek West Elementary School, with children having gone through South Putnam. “That’s going to be one of my big things moving forward.”

Hinchman said Tuesday that being a good steward for the taxpayers, but focusing on what he has believed is best for students, have been his goals. The drive behind this is that he learned much about the school board’s function.

“It’s been great working with all the members of the board and the superintendent (Corey Smith),” Hinchman said. “We were just really humming and getting things done, and I think there’s a lot of great things coming to South Putnam.”

Hinchman, who came on the board in May of last year, noted that South Putnam has since seen positives financially, student-wise and leadership-wise despite different challenges. He hope this growth will continue.

“You’ll probably see me at the meetings anyway,” Hinchman said finally about him remaining involved. “I’m not one to be quiet.”