DELAWARE — With school board elections set for next week, Cape Henlopen School District candidates gathered Monday evening for a public forum to engage with the community and address key issues. Two candidates are vying for the district’s at-large seat: Chris Lovenguth and incumbent Bill Collick. Three candidates are running for the District C seat: Patty Maull, Laura Parsons, and Andy Lewis, who was absent from the forum. A major point of discussion centered around school funding, particularly in the wake of two failed referendums last year. Collick highlighted the need for future property investments to accommodate growing student numbers, stating that expansion is inevitable. Lovenguth stressed the importance of transparency, emphasizing the need to inform voters on how funds will be allocated to ensure students receive a quality education. Maull pointed to the role of Sussex County Council in securing future funding, advocating for impact fees on new development to support schools if referendums continue to fail. Meanwhile, Parsons questioned the current referendum process, suggesting more frequent votes could lead to smaller, more acceptable rate increases. In addition to the Cape Henlopen elections, voters in the Indian River School District will head to the polls on Tuesday, May 13, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
