Thostenson, Skorczewski, Hennen, Buysse all voted into school board

By Scott Thoma
scott@thomabooks.com

Incumbents Abby Thostenson and Tom Skorczewski were re-elected to the Minneota school board, while newcomers Martin Hennen and Jon Buysse were also voted in during the general election Tuesday night.
Thostenson, the current president of the school board, received the most votes among the nine candidates for four open seats, including two incumbent seats and two others open following Dawn Van Keulen and Jeff Buysse electing not to run for another term on the school board.
Voters appeared to lean toward Minneota natives as all three candidates who grew up here received the most votes.
Thostenson, who was born and raised in Minneota, received 729 votes, followed by Hennen with 628, Buysse with 502 and Skorczewski with 449.
The other five candidates were: Emily Coequyt, 426; Christa Bouwman, 399; Jeri Whortenbury, 279; Katie Boettger, 274; and Lacy Richards, 133.
The four elected to the school board will join current members Terri Myhre, Carmen Panka and Ryan Runia.