One thing was made clear by the eight school board candidates Wednesday night — they believe voters must pass Austin Public School’s operating referendum.

The non-partisan League of Women Voters Austin Area hosted their Primary Election Forum at the City Chambers, the first and only forum held before the primary election Tuesday. The field of eight will be narrowed to six that day, with three elected to the board during the general election Nov. 3.

Incumbents Richard Lees, David Simonson and Mary Kleis are facing six new candidates: Tracey Chamberlain, Aaron Keenan, Jeff Kritzer, Jeff Ollman and Aaron DeVries.

The LWV asked questions, and audience members also submitted questions for the panel, many of which related to the budget and funding issues. When asked if they will vote for the levy operating referendum increase at $531.32 per pupil — an additional $84 per year on an average $100,000 home — all said they would. The current school board has approved asking voters for the increase to compensate for a legislative freeze in funding for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.

“I think the government and legislature had five months to do it (tackle the state budget), and they didn’t do it,” said Chamberlain, an ordained minister and retired Bank School administrator, adding, “I have never voted no on a referendum, and I don’t plan to start with this one.”

Ollman, a retired speech and language pathologist with the district, said the way schools are funded needs to change to lift the burden off the backs of taxpayers.

“It just can’t be sustained,” he said.

Kritzer, an attorney and partner with Baudler, Baudler, Maus and Blahnik, LLP, said he trusts the school board’s budget decisions.

“When they ask for more money, I take it seriously because I know their track record,” he said.

“I also believe as a taxpayer it’s one of the best values we have,” said Keenan, an administrator at Austin Medical Center.

As for the district’s most “pressing issue,” the candidates responded almost entirely with funding and budget-related replies.

“I think the board’s job is to find the resources to support the district,” said Kleis, a first-term board member who serves on the Minnesota School Board Association board of directors.

DeVries, an accountant at AMC and strong advocate for special education issues, said the board should continue to comb through its options for cuts, starting at the top instead of in classrooms.

“I don’t think anything should be not looked at,” he said. “I think salaries should be looked at.”

Fourteen-year board member Richard Lees, a probation officer and retired science teacher, said the school board has worked to increase its fund balance over the years.

“This fund balance we have is a composite effort” that “can disappear real shortly,” he said.

Simonson, a retired Austin Police Department lieutenant and five-term board member, said the district has a $49 million budget, and 82 percent of its revenue comes from the state.

“We’ve got the money in the bank,” he said. “That isn’t going to last. We need that referendum that’s in place to pass.”

Some candidates thought additional issues were of concern, including No Child Left Behind standards for schools. No school in the district in 2009 made Adequate Yearly Progress — a method of increasing standards by which schools nationwide must meet every year.

Ollman called it a “huge, huge issue that hits us, and the standards keep rising.”

Chamberlain said the district also needs to continue to attract “quality teachers,” no matter what the financial situation may be.

“How do we continue to maintain and attract quality teachers in this community?” she said.

In addition to the extensive discussion about the referendum and funding, each candidate presented opening and closing remarks, an opportunity for them to introduce themselves to the community and explain their reasons for throwing their hats in the ring.

Ollman said he is a life-long Austin resident with 31 years in private and public education. He said he is “in the people business” and wants to “build and foster positive relationships in our schools.”

Kleis, a nine-year resident and “mom, artist and school board member,” said the decision to run again was not easy because the job is “sometimes difficult, but also rewarding.”

Kritzer, president of the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors, said there needs to be “more parents on the school board.”

“I have no personal agenda,” he said.

Keenan explained he has 12 years of experience with “multi-million-dollar budgets.”

“I want to build strong communication processes,” he said.

DeVries, who serves on the Arc Mower County board, explained he is not running on just one issue.

“I’ve heard some people say I only stand for kid with special needs,” said DeVries, who has a child in special education. “All kids need a voice.”

Lees, who works in juvenile and teen court for Mower County, said he has taught all ages and abilities of students, from middle school to college.

“I think the best gift we can give them is a quality education,” Lees said.

Chamberlain said he has 27 years in teaching special education under his belt, and served on the city council more than eight years and also on the Port Authority, Fire Committee, Park and Recreation board and Housing and Redevelopment Authority board.

“I’ve experienced the hard decision-making that comes to government bodies during economic times like this,” Chamberlain said.

Simonson, who worked 27 years for the APD and was also a professional football player for five seasons, said “education is very important” in his family of teachers.

“We started in 1991 with massive cuts,” he said of the board. “You can’t have these programs for students unless you have money to do it with. But it’s the education we are focusing on.”

The Primary Election Forum may be aired at a later date by Charter Channel 16, LWV members said.

Editor’s Note: Responses to the Herald’s school board candidate questionnaire will be printed in the Sunday edition.