Dawson says it’s time for someone else to serve

WAUSA — Mark Dawson’s time on the Wausa Public Schools Board of Education will come to a close at the end of 2022.

The 50-year-old Wausa man has decided not to file for re-election to the school board after serving as a member for the past 12 years.

“It’s time for me to step down,” Dawson said. “It might be time for somebody else to come in and take over with fresh ideas.”

He noted the school district has accomplished many good things during his time on the board, including the approximately $4.3 million school building project that was finished in 2020.

“We took down the old building and put up a brand new one,” Dawson said. “That was probably one of our biggest achievements.”

He recalled how community members, school staff members and board members all bought into the building project.

“It was really an easy sell,” Dawson said. “We did it very efficiently and effectively on the economy side of things.”

He has enjoyed serving on the school board, especially because he has learned something new every time its members have met.

“Sometimes, it’s pretty standard, business as usual, but you always learn something about your school, your town, your community,” Dawson said.

“Those are some of the things you need to explore, especially when you’re looking outside the box,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed that.”

He has gotten to know several people who have come and gone while serving on the school board.

“It’s always good to get somebody else’s point of view,” Dawson said.

He chose to be a school board member because he wanted to serve the community.

“I thought it was important to have a voice for other people in the community,” Dawson said.

The logistics planner with the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City, Iowa, reiterated that he is ready to step down from the school board.

“It’s just time for somebody else maybe to come in,” Dawson said. “Maybe they have different ideas from what I do.”

WAUSA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

Mike Kumm and Brian Wakeley are incumbent members of the Wausa Public Schools Board of Education whose seats are up for election this year and they have filed to run for them again.

Terms for school board members are four years each.