Santos wins Gravette school board position

GRAVETTE — Gravette District 20 school board will soon welcome a Bella Vista woman to the school’s governing body.

Susan Santos was elected to a five-year term, defeating the two other Bella Vista residents who were seeking the position being vacated by Gravette veterinarian Marion Harris, who decided not to seek re-election.

According to election returns, Santos polled 278 of the 476 (59.15 percent) of the total votes in last Tuesday’s election.

Jonathan Watson, minister of the Bella Vista Church of Christ, received 144 votes (34.89 percent) and John Ekstrand, manager of Sam’s Club pharmacy in Bentonville, polled 28 votes (5.96 percent).

Jim Singleton, who holds the other position to be filled in this year’s election, was unopposed and will serve his second fiveyear term on the board.

Voters also approved a continuance of the district’s 37.2 millage rate.

Santos, a Kansas native andgraduate of the University of Kansas, served as administrator of a large school district where she was information technology coordinator and curriculum data manager. She presently serves on the Bella Vista Library Board of Trustees.

She and her husband Bob have been married 35 years. They are parents of two grown children.