IKM-Manning District 2B Candidate, Josh Linde, Says His Concern For The School’s Long-Term Viability Pushed Him To Run For School Board

Two candidates are on the ballot next week for the District 2B seat on the IKM-Manning Board of Education. Josh Linde and his wife, Jennifer, who is a teacher at the school, live just outside Aspinwall and have three children enrolled in the district. According to Linde, his interest in running for school board stems from deep ties to the area and an understanding of how important a strong school is to the success of each community that makes up IKM-Manning.

Linde is a 2003 graduate of Manning High School and left the area to complete his studies in industrial technology at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. He returned after school to join Maschhoffs, a pork production network where he is now a regional manager. Linde also starting raising hogs on his own family farm in 2007. The issue on the top of most voters’ minds heading into Tuesday’s election is the future of IKM-Manning’s aging facilities. A recent $19.95 million bond referendum for improvements and expansions at the Irwin and Manning facilities narrowly failed, leaving stakeholders divided. Linde says he understands that nobody likes to see property taxes increase, but he does not believe tax concerns were the sole reason the bond failed.

Linde adds he thinks the best way to reach a goal is to first identify what it is you are trying to achieve and then work backwards from there. His vision for IKM-Manning extends beyond the recent question on facility improvements to the viability of the district decades down the road.

According to Linde, the disagreement about facilities has overshadowed some of the great things happening in the district. He cites the success of the STEM and FIRE programs as an example.

He says district-wide support for these programs is what they need to keep a rural school like IKM-Manning at the forefront of 21^st-century education. Linde is running against Steven Wiskus of Manilla for the District 2B seat. Carroll Broadcasting has reached out to the other candidates running for IKM-Manning School Board and will bring you more from them in upcoming newscasts.