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LWV_VotersGuide15 (1)
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12<br />
<strong>VOTER</strong> INFORMATION BULLETIN | Special Advertising Section | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2015 ■<br />
a necessary difference, not a<br />
wasteful one. The majority of<br />
our township is residential<br />
and I would like to see more<br />
businesses in Sharon Township<br />
to help increase revenue so<br />
we can continue to keep our<br />
township services and look<br />
for new services to benefit our<br />
community members. Our<br />
current trustees are finding<br />
ways to save money and I hope<br />
to continue this process at a<br />
heightened pace<br />
Carr, Chad<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Truro Township<br />
Fiscal Officer<br />
(uncontested race)<br />
Nicodemus, Natalie<br />
Township Trustee<br />
(vote for no more than one)<br />
Bowman, Eli<br />
Candiddate did not respond.<br />
Mahaffey, Pat<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Washington Township<br />
Fiscal Officer<br />
(uncontested race)<br />
Robinson, Joyce E.<br />
Township Trustee<br />
(uncontested race)<br />
Bostic, Gene<br />
Central Ohio<br />
Educational Service<br />
Center<br />
(uncontested race)<br />
Henkel, Jeannie<br />
Pleasnick, Robin Reid<br />
Questions for all Board of Education<br />
Candidates:<br />
Question 1: What should the<br />
role of the school board be in<br />
relation to the superintendent<br />
and his/her office?<br />
Question 2: What would you do<br />
to improve the school’s financial<br />
stability?<br />
Bexley City<br />
School District<br />
BOARD OF EDUCATION<br />
Full Term<br />
Uncontested Race<br />
Denison, Mike<br />
Lacroix, Melissa<br />
Term Ending 12/31/17<br />
Uncontested Race<br />
Mitchell, Alissha M.<br />
Canal Winchester<br />
Local School District<br />
BOARD OF EDUCATION<br />
(vote for no more than two)<br />
Butler, Kevin W.<br />
7423 Kenrich Drive, Canal<br />
Winchester, OH 43110<br />
Email: mrwesleybutler@gmail.<br />
com<br />
Website:<br />
Education: I graduated from<br />
Shaker Heights High School in<br />
northeastern Ohio in 2000.<br />
I attended The University of<br />
Toledo and graduated in 2005,<br />
with a Bachelors of Arts in<br />
Psychology.<br />
In 2008, I also earned my Master<br />
of Education degree in Special<br />
Education from The University<br />
of Toledo.<br />
Occupation: Teacher<br />
(Intervention Specialist)<br />
Qualifications for Office:<br />
I believe my job as a special<br />
education teacher will help<br />
bring a unique perspective to<br />
the decision making process.<br />
I see firsthand the impacts of<br />
educational policies, and I want<br />
to work collaboratively with the<br />
educators, administrators, and<br />
the community.<br />
Question 1: The role of the<br />
school board members is to<br />
work cooperatively to set<br />
responsible policies, that the<br />
superintendent in tern will<br />
implement across the school<br />
district. The superintendent and<br />
and school board need to work<br />
together collaboratively to set<br />
and implement policies that will<br />
benefit the entire school district.<br />
Question 2: I believe it is the<br />
responsibility of the school<br />
board to address the long term<br />
financial stability of the district.<br />
Bases on Canal Winchester<br />
School Districts most recent<br />
five year budget projections it<br />
is looking at a million dollar<br />
deficit in 2018, and 2.3 million<br />
dollars in 2019. If I am elected<br />
to the school board I will work<br />
with parent, teachers and<br />
administrators to ensure that the<br />
district is saving any addition<br />
money we receive for the State<br />
of Ohio to address the long term<br />
financial debts the district is<br />
facing. Also, I believe the district<br />
needs to look for innovative<br />
ways to reduc<br />
Krueger, Matt<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Toledo, Robert<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Columbus City<br />
School District<br />
BOARD OF EDUCATION<br />
(vote for no more than four)<br />
Baker, Gary L.<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Brown, Eric S.<br />
1180 Dublin Road, Columbus,<br />
Ohio 43215<br />
Email: judgebrown@gmail.com<br />
Website: https://www.linkedin.<br />
com/in/judgebrown<br />
Education: Advanced Science<br />
and Technology Adjudication<br />
Resource Fellow. Cleveland-<br />
Marshall College of Law, Juris<br />
Doctor. Kibbutz Ein Harod<br />
Meuchad, Israel, Hebrew<br />
Ulpan Study. Cleveland State<br />
University, Bachelor of Arts:<br />
First College, History and<br />
Economics.<br />
Denison University, Granville,<br />
Ohio.<br />
Occupation: Retired Judge /<br />
former Chief Justice<br />
Qualifications for Office: 15<br />
yrs - Elected Public School<br />
Board Member. All-Ohio<br />
School Board! 13 yrs - Private<br />
law practice, including School<br />
Law. 11 yrs - Ohio Assistant<br />
Attorney General. A decade as<br />
Judge, including Ohio Chief<br />
Justice. Father (2), Grandfather<br />
(3), married 42 yrs to County<br />
Commissioner Marilyn Brown!<br />
Question 1: The Superintendent<br />
is the Lead Professional Educator<br />
and Administrator of our<br />
Schools. School board members<br />
have no day-to-day role in the<br />
operations of the School District,<br />
and no individual school board<br />
member has any independent<br />
authority or operational role<br />
in the schools. School board<br />
members, collectively acting as<br />
a Board act to establish policy,<br />
to hire, direct, evaluate and hold<br />
accountable the Superintendant<br />
and Treasurer. The board has<br />
many other responsibilities<br />
and duties, all as provided by<br />
law. However, it is essential<br />
for school board members to<br />
participate and engage in the<br />
school community, which<br />
includes listening actively to<br />
parents, teachers, staff, and other<br />
residents.<br />
Question 2: We should create a<br />
committee, led by our citizens,<br />
to study our finances and<br />
publicly report their findings,<br />
including any recommendations<br />
for an operating levy. Keeping<br />
our schools accountable and<br />
transparent will help foster<br />
community trust and support<br />
for our schools. We must also<br />
communicate openly and clearly<br />
with the community. These<br />
measures will enable our schools<br />
to pass necessary school levies<br />
for the operation of our schools,<br />
allowing Columbus City Schools<br />
to fulfill its mission. I want every<br />
student to reach his or her full<br />
potential!<br />
Great education shouldn’t<br />
depend on how much we earn or<br />
what neighborhood we live in.<br />
We must make our schools work<br />
for all our children!<br />
Gibbs, W. Shawna<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Hudson, Mary Jo<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Hunter, Jim<br />
2440 Adonal Blvd, Columbus,<br />
OH 43219<br />
Email:<br />
Website:<br />
Education: Harvard University,<br />
Cambridge, MA, Bachelor of<br />
Arts, Cum Laude in History<br />
Occupation:<br />
Qualifications for Office:<br />
Franklin County Republican<br />
Party Central Committee;<br />
Ward 26, 1992-2002; Ward<br />
82, 2006-Present; Republican<br />
Candidate for State<br />
Representative, 27th Ohio House<br />
District, 2008<br />
Question 1: The role of the<br />
school board should be to work<br />
with the superintendent to<br />
insure that every possible avenue<br />
of improvement is being pursued<br />
and that the voices of parents<br />
and community leaders are<br />
being heard in order to address<br />
the problems.<br />
Question 2: The first step would<br />
be to reduce the amount of<br />
money spent on experts in order<br />
to solve problems. Beyond that, I<br />
would work as closely as possible<br />
with the superintendent and<br />
treasurer in order to maintain<br />
the right fiscal direction.<br />
Kent, Bernadine Kennedy<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Pierce, Tina<br />
610 Northridge Rd, Columbus,<br />
OH 43214<br />
Email: tinapierce4ccs@gmail.<br />
com<br />
Website: www.TinaPierce.com<br />
Party: Democrat<br />
Education: PhD Political Sci<br />
(Specialization); MA Political<br />
Sci; BA (Distinction) Social and<br />
Behavioral Sci; BA (Distinction)<br />
Humanities<br />
Occupation: Self-employed<br />
educational consultant<br />
Qualifications for Office:<br />
Educator with 10+ years of<br />
teaching, research, and advising<br />
experience in higher education;<br />
board experience: Kids Voting<br />
Central Ohio, Ohio Health<br />
Care Federal Credit Union,<br />
and Volunteer Administrators<br />
Network<br />
Question 1: A strong<br />
partnership between the school<br />
board and the superintendent<br />
is crucial to the success of our<br />
district. The Board establishes<br />
policies, makes strategic<br />
decisions, oversees the district's<br />
activities, serves as ambassadors,<br />
and hires and evaluates the<br />
superintendent, treasurer,<br />
and internal auditor. The<br />
superintendent is responsible<br />
for identifying our district<br />
needs and policies, providing<br />
leadership, and managing the<br />
day-to-day operations of the<br />
district. Through mutual respect<br />
and trust, shared ownership and<br />
leadership, accountability, and<br />
open communication the Board<br />
and superintendent should work<br />
together to meet the needs of our<br />
students, staff, and schools.<br />
Question 2: Historically,<br />
our district is vulnerable to<br />
declining tax sources. The<br />
current funding of charter<br />
schools in Ohio has a profoundly<br />
negative impact on our financial<br />
stability. Given these realities we<br />
need to use multi-year financial<br />
forecast planning to identify and<br />
prioritize our expected needs.<br />
We can also seek additional<br />
help from local businesses and<br />
non-profits to increase stability.<br />
One crucial factor is ensuring<br />
that Ohio is funding all schools<br />
in an equitable way with a<br />
constitutional funding formula.<br />
I will work to ensure our voice is<br />
heard at the state legislature and<br />
Ohio Department of Education<br />
during the budgeting process.<br />
Tyson, Ben K.<br />
Candidate did not respond.<br />
Dublin City<br />
School District<br />
BOARD OF EDUCATION<br />
(uncontested race)<br />
Melody, Scott<br />
Valentine, Christopher M.<br />
Gahanna JEfferson<br />
School District<br />
BOARD OF EDUCATION<br />
(vote for no more than two)<br />
Sanford, Justin<br />
1748 Harrison Pond Drive, New<br />
Albany, OH 43054<br />
Email: jsan0900@gmail.com<br />
Website:<br />
Education: I believe that ALL<br />
children should have access to<br />
a quality education, the tools to<br />
learn and the resources in which<br />
to prepare them for academic,<br />
character, social and cultural<br />
skills in a 21st century global<br />
economy. It's the Gahanna<br />
Jefferson Graduate Profile.<br />
Occupation: Senior<br />
Development Officer, Mount<br />
Carmel Foundation<br />
Qualifications for Office:<br />
I've been an administrator in<br />
two public school systems for<br />
the past 15 years. I've been an<br />
engaged community member<br />
and leader; valued and initiated<br />
public-private partnerships<br />
for facility renovation and<br />
improvements; dedicated to<br />
staff, student, programs and<br />
community; and continue to<br />
serve on the Gahanna Jefferson<br />
Education Foundation Board<br />
seeking excellence for our<br />
students and community.<br />
Question 1: The simple technical<br />
answer is that the school board<br />
and its members are responsible<br />
for hiring and evaluating the<br />
superintendent. However,<br />
I believe it is even more<br />
critical for the board to have a<br />
professional relationship with<br />
the superintendent that is based<br />
upon trust, communication,<br />
and respect for the community,<br />
our students and schools. The<br />
superintendent is responsible for<br />
the day to day operations and<br />
oversight of our administrators<br />
and staff. Not the school<br />
board. The areas of these<br />
responsibilities are to ensure<br />
our superintendent can build<br />
the trust and respect within his<br />
or her staff and administrators.<br />
Micromanagement is not a<br />
productive learning or working<br />
environment.<br />
Question 2: Oversight<br />
and transparency! Expect<br />
transparency from the treasurers<br />
office, not simply with our<br />
board but with our community<br />
as well. We live in a society of<br />
instant feedback, analysis and<br />
access. As a "Public" school, we<br />
should exercise that expectation<br />
with our community. Gahanna<br />
has always been a fiscally<br />
conservative community. We<br />
have an obligation to provide<br />
resources, facilities and<br />
opportunities for our students<br />
and staff, but must be conscious<br />
of what our community<br />
expects and the capacity of our<br />
community to support. We<br />
have physical needs within the<br />
buildings and the recent PI will<br />
help to address those, but this<br />
board must oversee the plan<br />
to address and prioritize those<br />
needs.<br />
Piccolantonio, Beryl<br />
963 Riva Ridge Blvd, Gahanna,<br />
OH 43230<br />
Email: berylbp@gmail.com<br />
Website: www.VoteforBeryl.com<br />
Education: JD, OSU Moritz<br />
College of Law ; BA, Ohio<br />
Dominican University<br />
Occupation: Lawyer and mother<br />
Qualifications for Office:<br />
Community volunteer: Schools<br />
Master Planning Facility<br />
Committee, Civil Service<br />
Commission, Education<br />
Foundation gala ticket chair,<br />
PTO. Mother of three who<br />
attend our schools. Expertise<br />
in employment law, public<br />
records, dispute resolution, &<br />
labor relations. Manages people,<br />
programs, and budgets.<br />
Question 1: The board is<br />
required to hire and supervise<br />
the superintendent. The<br />
board should set priorities<br />
and goals for the district<br />
and clearly communicate<br />
these to the superintendent.<br />
Additionally, the board must<br />
develop a transparent process<br />
to evaluate the superintendent’s<br />
performance toward the<br />
priorities and goals. There<br />
should be regular and ongoing<br />
communication between the<br />
board and the superintendent<br />
so the board is confident the<br />
superintendent is making<br />
decisions consistent with set<br />
priorities and goals. However,<br />
the board must give the<br />
superintendent the autonomy to<br />
direct the district.<br />
Question 2: A first priority<br />
is to review our budget, &<br />
overlapping municipality<br />
budgets in order to ensure there<br />
is no unnecessary duplication<br />
& to determine where resources<br />
may be pooled. I will encourage<br />
our board, our superintendent,<br />
& our treasurer to develop a<br />
mindset where we are open<br />
to collaboration & open<br />
communication whenever<br />
possible. Additionally, the board<br />
should work together to convey<br />
a unified message to legislators<br />
& to our Governor that stability<br />
& adequate funding is crucial<br />
to our success. Finally, we<br />
must reach out to community<br />
members who all have a stake in<br />
our success.<br />
Griffin, Lew<br />
77 Mill St, Gahanna, OH<br />
Email: lgriffin@lewgriffin.com<br />
Website: lewforschools.com<br />
Education: I grew up in<br />
southern Ohio and graduated<br />
from Chesapeake High School. I<br />
then attended Capital University<br />
and graduated with a B A degree.<br />
Occupation: Insurance<br />
executive<br />
Qualifications for Office: I<br />
taught 2 1/2 years in public<br />
schools then had 8 years<br />
experience developing an<br />
early childhood education<br />
corporation. I founded a<br />
successful insurance agency. I<br />
currently serve on our school<br />
board. This blend of business<br />
along with my educational<br />
experiences makes me uniquely<br />
qualified<br />
Question 1: The school board<br />
has the responsibility to hire and<br />
evaluate the Superintendent.<br />
The evaluation process<br />
should be based on goals and<br />
objectives for both the district<br />
and the Superintendent, as<br />
established by the board with the<br />
Superintendent.<br />
Question 2: I would operate<br />
the schools on a clear and<br />
defined budget within projected<br />
income. This budget needs<br />
to be easy to understand and<br />
transparent to the community.<br />
This transparency allows all to<br />
see income and expenditures<br />
along with program offerings.<br />
Annual evaluations and possible<br />
cuts to avoid deficit spending<br />
will allow the community to<br />
partner financially more with<br />
the schools. Any financial<br />
increase needed to sustain<br />
programming would come<br />
through additional income as<br />
determined by the board. This<br />
could be increased taxes or a<br />
pledge program through our<br />
education foundation.<br />
Moehring, Daphne<br />
441 Lily Pond Ct., Gahanna, OH<br />
43230<br />
Email: dmoehring@columbus.<br />
rr.com<br />
Website: VoteforDaphne.com<br />
Education: Bachelor's of Arts<br />
in Business Administration/<br />
Minor in Finance from Capital<br />
University, 1985.<br />
Occupation: Insurance Agent<br />
Qualifications for Office:<br />
Professionally, I have valuable<br />
experience in financial analysis<br />
gained during 30 years of<br />
commercial banking and<br />
insurance with many of those<br />
years in a management role.<br />
I have been an active school<br />
volunteer with 7 years of PTO<br />
leadership, education foundation<br />
involvement, music & athletic<br />
support<br />
Question 1: The school<br />
board is responsible for<br />
setting educational goals and<br />
administrative policy for the<br />
district that the superintendent<br />
uses as a blueprint for<br />
implementation. It is responsible<br />
for hiring and overseeing the<br />
superintendent and treasurer<br />
who are charged with the<br />
functional management of the<br />
district. The board is to provide<br />
constant financial oversight<br />
and direction into long term<br />
planning of educational strategy<br />
and resource management, i.e.<br />
capital assets. The board should<br />
solicit public opinion as it affects<br />
the district and be the liaison for<br />
the district to state entities.