In a year in which school officials sliced $6.4 million from their budget and floated cost-cutting measures such as eliminating junior-high sports, it’s probably not surprising that money is a key issue as candidates try for two expiring seats on the Northshore School District Board of Directors.

A third open seat on the board essentially is already filled. Barring some unforeseen circumstances, resident Sandy Hayes of Kirkland will fill the District 4 Director seat come January.

Hayes was the only candidate to file to replace departing director Gene Hawkridge, who decided not to run for reelection.

Facing what seems to be a stiff challenge from Edmonds district substitute teacher Julia Lacey, incumbent District 1 Director Sue Buske said her first goal in a new term would be to continue to attempt to work with Olympia on funding issues.

Lacey said the board needs to do a much better job in communicating with the public, but had plenty to say concerning the three money issues the school board was expected to formally place on a February ballot during its Oct. 13 meeting.

“It’s imperative that these pass,” Lacey said.

One issue is a four-year renewal of a maintenance and operations levy with a total value of $169 million over the life of the levy. Lacey was not the first to assert the levy proceeds represent approximately 20 percent of the district’s operating revenue. Buske, Lacey and others said to lose those funds would be disastrous for the schools.

In a four-way race in the August primary, Buske and Lacey were a very close first and second in the final balloting. In the King County portions of the school district, Buske earned 33.7 percent of the vote compared to Lacey’s 32.8. Snohomish County voters accorded Buske a somewhat wider approval, giving her 33.7 percent of the vote to Lacey’s 27.4 percent. According to Lacey, she is the only candidate to earn the endorsement of the Northshore Education Association, the district teachers union.

Although seven primary candidates filled out questionnaires for the union, they chose to endorse only her, Lacey added.

In the district’s other board race, incumbent District 5 Director Cathy Swanson faces a challenge from resident Todd Banks. As Swanson and Banks were the only candidates to file for the District 5 seat, there was no primary in that race.

Like the other candidates, Swanson spent plenty of time talking about district finances. She said the issue is an extremely complicated one and, with nearly eight years on the board, played up her experience. Swanson also claimed connections with state legislators she hopes to exploit for the good of the district and its students.

“I think that’s a huge unfinished task,” she said.

While he did talk about financial issues, money wasn’t the first thing on the mind of Banks, the general manager of Kenmore Air. He insists the board needs more transparency in its operations, adding board meetings usually feature little debate, decisions seemingly having been made off-stage. He said the various stakeholders in the district often appear to have been cut out of the process.

As for financial issues, Banks said the board could use someone with his business background to help keep spending in check.

“There needs to be a lot more accountability,” Banks added.

If further budget cuts are needed down the line, several of the candidates said finding places to trim expenses even further will be difficult. Lacey said it’s important to look at what other boards are doing.

“We need to be aware of other things that are happening,” she said.

Instead of talking about cuts, Buske said she hoped to increase revenues. She mentioned increasing fees for advanced-placement classes and summer school, as well as further reducing utility costs. Lacey also mentioned raising revenues through such steps as renting Pop Keeney Field for community events or placing advertising on the stadium’s newly donated scoreboard.

With a weak economy having been near the top of the headlines for quite a while, is now the time for the board to put three tax issues before voters?

“The community has been very supportive,” Swanson said, adding district voters have never rejected a levy issue. She said Northshore voters tend to be intelligent and informed and that district officials are banking on those characteristics to help carry the day.

Banks said much the same, stating he expects Northshore voters will support the schools. But he added district leaders seem to be fixated on money issues.

“There are financial problems, yes,” Banks said. “But we’ve kind of lost focus on the main issue, which is educating kids.”

Moving away from money questions, Buske said she “felt like she hit the jackpot” after moving into the district and placing her children into local schools. She said that despite the district’s money problems, she’s proud Northshore has been able to maintain what she described as its great reputation.

For her part, Lacey again hit on the topic of a lack of communication between the board and the public.

“I think that there’s a general dissatisfaction with the board,” she said.

As she’s spoken with the public during her campaign, Lacey said she’s heard some “awful” words used to describe the board, words such as “condescending” and “detached.”

Swanson mentioned the board needs to move forward, in cooperation with its administrators and teaching staff, to revamp some of its curriculum. Officials recently took a look at some of Northshore’s math programs, but Swanson said that’s only a start. She added that some curriculum improvements have been delayed too long because of financial problems.

To Banks, growing class sizes are worrisome. He contends the current board has expressed concerns over the issue, but has done nothing to address it.

Banks also talked about “shoring up” the district’s junior-high curriculum by creating magnet programs, such as in science, business or art.