Mix of new, returning candidates win Dixon School Board race

DIXON - The Dixon School Board will be welcoming a mix of new and returning members to its ranks following preliminary election results Tuesday.

Seven candidates competed for four seats on the board, and the top candidates were newcomer Jon Wadsworth with 1,122 votes (18.41%), former board member Brandon Rogers with 1,078 votes (17.69%), incumbent Board President Linda Wegner with 1,056 votes (17.33%), and newcomer Linda LeBlanc-Parks with 912 votes (14.96%).

Wegner was the only incumbent looking to retain her seat. Board Vice President Kelly Flanagan, Secretary Brad Sibley and member JR Humphrey did not seek re-election.

Val Smith came in at 820 votes (13.45%), Matt Appleman had 618 votes (10.14%), and Donna Glover received 489 votes (8.02%).

Wegner, a retired educator who spent 22 years teaching, was elected in 2017. Rogers, manager at Walgreens, was appointed to fill a partial board term in 2017 and is president of the Dixon Rotary Club.

Wadsworth is the IT manager at Beckers Group, and LeBlanc-Parks is a retired special education educator with 30 years of experience.

Glover has 25 years experience in banking, and Appleman is owner of Crescendo Hair in Dixon and has been involved with the LGBTQ+ organization Youth Outlook for 9 years. Smith is a member of the district’s Community Engagement Committee, as well as a classroom volunteer.