It'll be a sea change on Carlton board

Two more pro-consolidation candidates were elected to the Carlton school board Tuesday. Challengers Ben Nilsen and Dan Solarz will join the board in January: both have indicated they strongly favor pairing with neighboring Wrenshall. Another advocate for a union with Wrenshall was Ryan Leonzal, who was re-elected Tuesday after winning a special election a year ago. Each of the winning candidates received over 20 percent of the vote, a strong showing in a race where voters could vote for up to three candidates.

Leaving in January will be chairwoman Julianne Emerson and Eryn Szymczak.

Leonzal was excited about the newcomers — people he has worked with in the Carlton Wrenshall Youth Baseball Softball Association.

“We work well together. We disagree appropriately … it really promotes good conversation,” he said. In the next sentence, Leonzal lauded the service of Emerson and Szymczak.

“Julianne and Eryn were pillars in our community. Julianne … has shown time and time again that she’s willing to run through brick walls to make things happen,” he said.

Member-elect Ben Nilsen, spouse of board member Laura Nilsen, is also an advocate of an initial merger with Wrenshall. When asked about the recent discussions of consolidating with Barnum instead, he didn’t say yes or no.

“Maybe down the road,” he said. “But right now, I think we need to finish what the current school board has started.” He cited the success of merging the sports teams and some of the shared classes as steps in a process that needs to be continued.

“The Barnum thing was … a bombshell,” Ben Nilsen said. “[But] I wouldn’t throw it out the window without doing more research. … It’s a potential long-term plan.”

Dan Solarz was even more emphatic about Wrenshall consolidation, saying that it must happen.

“I think it’s irresponsible of us not to,” he said.

Still, Barnum could be considered, he said.

“I’m not pleased at the way it was brought up, but it is something that should be examined,” he said. As project manager for the sheriff’s office in St. Louis County, it is his job to bring up new ideas. “It’s always a positive thing,” he said.

Julianne Emerson reflected on the election results. “I put my name [on the ballot] so that the community would have a choice … and they’ve made their choice and I absolutely respect it,” she said.

Emerson is still concerned about the future of the Carlton school district.

“To keep an open mind about potential options … and that means being a little comfortable with the discomfort of something we hadn’t thought of before,” she said. The unconsummated tuition agreement with Cloquet and discussions with Barnum were examples of the effort to find solutions.

Looking ahead, Leonzal wants the merger with Wrenshall to be completed.

“That grass needs to be watered,” he said, while looking toward a future that could include Barnum. He wasn’t against the move in that direction, only the route with the recent lack of transparency. “In order to make all three work … we have to be in good relationships, starting with Wrenshall,” he said.