In a year in which some local election contests have become somewhat raucous, the races for two expiring seats on the Northshore School District Board of Directors have seemed comparatively quiet.

For the most part, school finances have been the major topic of discussion among the candidates. The current board only recently formally voted to place three money issues before voters in February. All the candidates, including the challengers, not just the incumbents, have spoken in favor of the measures.

“It used to be just for fun stuff,” incumbent Sue Buske said of a $169 million maintenance and operations renewal levy.

Including the candidates, numerous school leaders have said that levy generates 20 percent of the district’s operating funds. Buske said the money previously went toward such items as extracurriculars, but as state funding dropped, officials redirected the dollars to supporting more day-to-day school operations.

Buske didn’t seem worried the board might be overwhelming voters, putting three money questions on the ballot at once.

“You just have to tell people this is how we pay for things that aren’t being funded by the state,” she said.

Buske added the solid reputation of the Northshore district seems important to the general community.

“I personally feel like we hit a kind of jackpot when we moved into the district,” Buske said of her family, which had two children in Northshore schools.

Like Buske, her opposition, candidate Julia Lacey, also expressed strong support for the coming ballot questions.

“It’s imperative these issues pass,” Lacey said, describing the potential loss of the operating levy as “frightening.”

Coming in a very close second to Buske in the August primary, Lacey pushes what she says is her experience as a substitute teacher in the Edmonds School District. There have been questions raised, not by Buske but by an apparent supporter, as to how much time Lacey actually has spent in the classroom.

The candidate could not be reached for comment in time for the deadline for this issue.

Previously, Lacey talked about money matters affecting the district, but also about a need for better communication between the board and the public.

“There’s not a very good system for parents to give input,” Lacey said, adding teachers don’t always seem to have a voice either. Stating the costs would have to be investigated, Lacey added a desire to see board meetings televised locally, just as are Bothell and Kenmore city council meetings.

The second school-board contest pits incumbent and board President Cathy Swanson against challenger Todd Banks, general manager of Kenmore Air.

With eight years on the board, Swanson emphasized her experience.

“It is really important to have strong board leadership,” Swanson said. “It’s a tough job,” she added, arguing it takes a few years to really understand board operations.

“There’s always ways to improve and become better,” Swanson continued.

Swanson fully supports the February ballot issues, noting, as did others, that Northshore voters never have turned down a levy issue. As did Buske, she said the schools seem important to the community and the public has been willing to support them.

“We have an informed community that knows what it takes to have a good school district,” Swanson said.

Like Lacey, Banks talked about a perceived disconnection between the board and the public. He talked a lot about the board needing more transparency in its operations, that board meetings often seem to feature little debate, decisions apparently having been made in advance. While he supported the coming ballot issues, Banks also feels the current board has focused too much on financial questions while issues such as improving the curriculum or attacking class sizes have fallen by the wayside.

Like his opponent, Banks said the board needs strong leadership, but, unlike the incumbent, implied that is something the current members just don’t have.

“The board has had a hard time finding its stride,” he contends.

In terms of financial questions, Banks stated he feels the board could use someone with his degree of business expertise.

“I’ve watched how they’ve navigated some things and thought I could give them a hand,” he said.