Buchanan County Republicans hosted school board candidate forum  

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)-- The Buchanan County Republicans hosted a school board candidate forum at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 at Bandana’s BBQ. 

There are seven candidates running for two open seats: Jacob McMillan, Cynthia Cook, Deborah Schmuck, Travis Smith, Cassandra Veale, Kim Dragoo and Reid Barnett.  

All of the candidates showed up to attend the forum. They introduced themselves, shared their vision for the district and talked about how their ideas would benefit the community.  

Kristi Green, vice chair of the Buchanan County Republican Central Committee, said she came to the forum to hear directly from the school board candidates and get a sense of how well they understand the district’s issues.  

“There are quite a few people running that have never been to a school board meeting and that really aren’t familiar with issues that challenges our school district right now,” Green said.  

Green said she hopes more candidates will take part in forums like this so both they and community members can get to know each other better before Election Day.  

She also added how voters should be informed about the district’s issues when choosing who to support.  

“Its really important that we get the right people on our school board that are proactive and will move the district forward in a positive direction,” Green said.  

Alex Veale, husband of candidate Cassandra Veale, said he initially came to support his wife but was also eager to hear how other candidates are approaching the pressing issues in the district.  

One topic he was especially interested in was how candidates plan to handle consolidation, along with its impact on attendance and classroom performance.  

“All communities start with schools and education for the future generations and I think we need to make a very good investment in our education and our future generation so we can make educated decisions on who we elect in these positions,” Veale said.  

Veale also said it was encouraging to see so many people willing to run for the board, noting that being close to a candidate has given him a deeper appreciation for the effort it takes.  

“Just to try and make a difference for people you don’t even know and it's just nice to see all those people coming together to try and do something beneficial by being expressive and putting themselves out there,” Veale said.  

Steve Dragoo, whose wife, Kim Dragoo, is also running, said he attended both to support her and to hear from others in the community.  

He stressed the importance of public participation, saying events like this matter because they ultimately impact all students in the district.  

“We want them to grow up in a community and be the best they can. They also need to listen to all the candidates at these forums and hear what they say because your vote matters,” Dragoo said.  

Dragoo added that those who don’t usually vote should consider attending forums like this, learning about the candidates and getting involved to help shape the community’s future. 

The school board election is set for April 7.