Subdistrict 2

Even though he’s opposing Erin Conley, the president of the school board, Nick Stoutamyer doesn’t have a lot of negative things to say about the board or Dr. Walter Milton.

“This is the first year there’s going to be a deficit but I can’t really put the blame on Dr. Milton or the board for that happening,” Stoutamyer says, referring to a $1.2 million shortfall in the current fiscal year’s budget. In addition, he says he has “a good working relationship” with Dr. Milton, who solicited Stoutamyer’s assistance with the First Annual McNabb Challenge, a two-day football camp held last summer.

Stoutamyer, a driver for Henry Nelch and Sons, says he wants to do for the entire district what he’s done for Lanphier and the North End — be a booster. His orange-and-black yard signs represent north side pride, he says. As president of the high school’s booster club for three years, he organized fundraisers to buy safety and electronic equipment and secured corporate sponsorship to purchase a trailer to sell merchandise during games.

He’s also a member of L.I.O.N.S, which stands for Loyal Individuals Organized to Nurture Students, a group of fathers who “get into the lives of students that may not have the support network at home that they need.” “I’m a regular guy. I’m a dad first, who really cares about his kids and the kids around me,” says Stoutamyer, 44, who has the endorsements of both the Springfield Education Association teachers union and local Republicans.

His biggest concern is keeping families from leaving District 186 for surrounding districts with newer, more modern buildings.

“We’ve just got to put some stock in our schools and show that we care and keep families in Springfield,” he says, adding that, “New facilities would also have a positive impact on getting families to come to Springfield.”

On that point, he agrees with Conley, who cites the school board’s recent approval of $64 million in upgrades for heating and air-conditioning systems as one of her accomplishments as board president.

“We worked hard for the HVAC improvements and we finally get those through,” she

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