Two people filed for the Albert Lea school board election on the first day available. Board Vice Chairman Bill Villarreal and Treasurer Bill Leland both filed for re-election Tuesday morning.

“It’s great that they stepped up right way on the first day of the available time,” said Superintendent David Prescott. “I’m very glad that they are. They both have experience, and they both bring different perspectives.”

No one has yet filed to fill the position left open by Chairman Ken Petersen. He announced Thursday he will not run for re-election after nearly 10 years of service on the school board.

Filing for the school board election is open until Sept. 9. Filing is done at the school district offices in Brookside Education Center, 211 W. Richway Drive. The school district is not holding a primary.

Both Villarreal and Leland were raised in Albert Lea.

Villarreal is a retired police officer. He has worked in the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office and the Albert Lea Police Department. He is now the fitness coordinator and a personal trainer at the Albert Lea Family Y.

Leland is a broker with Kenneth R. Leland Realty and has a business background. He is also an officer with Schools for Equity in Education.

“He’s very well connected at the state level with lobbyist and legislative issues,” Prescott said. “We’re really glad that both of them are willing to continue on with us.”

Villarreal and Leland each said there were unfinished projects and important issues coming up for the district that they didn’t want to leave hanging.

“I gave it a lot of thought, and it wasn’t whether or not I wanted to run, but it was whether or not I could commit,” Villarreal said. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Plus, he said, board members and administrators told him they wanted him around, which made the decision easier.

Leland said there were initiatives he wants to follow through with.

“Plus, I really enjoy it,” he said.