Warwick Valley School Board candidate profiles

Warwick - Six candidates are seeking three seats on the Warwick Valley School Board. The election will be held on Tuesday, May 15, with the polls open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. Each of the six was asked to respond to a questionnaire about his or her candidacy. Here are the replies, with the candidates listed in alphabetical order. Paul Caskey • Biographical information: I am vice-president of Administration and Operations for a New Jersey importer and distributor of specialty chemicals. I have resided in Warwick for ten years along with my wife and two daughters. My older daughter Grace attends the High School and my younger daughter Charlotte attends the Middle School. My wife is a teaching tennis pro and also serves as a personal assistant in Warwick. • What is the most critical issue facing the district? Funding of the schools is one of the most pressing issues facing the District. Over the years, the state has consistently reduced their contribution placing an ever increasing burden on the Warwick taxpayers. This combined with unfunded mandates creates financial pressure on the District and local taxpayers. • Why are you running? I seek re-election to the Board of Education to continue to give back to the community and to support the effort to move our schools from good to great. Dawn Chester • Biographical information: I have lived in Warwick for the past ten years with my husband Dan and our four children, Katlyn (17), Megan (15), Samuel (12) and William (9). I have been a registered nurse for 20 years, graduated from Bloomfield College with my BSN in 1987, and have been a nurse at St. Anthony Community Hospital for the past five years. • What is the most critical issue facing the district? The most critical issue facing the district is our ability to keep school taxes at a responsible level while at the same time improving the quality, diversity and level of education. My occupational experience coupled with years of volunteering in the district will bring a fresh approach to current issues. • Why are you running? I am seeking election to the board because I believe that I can make a difference. Our community must feel that the board is listening and responding to the wishes of all of our residents equitably, while providing the highest level of education possible. Our children deserve nothing less. Debra Holton-Smith • Biographical information: Debra Holton-Smith and her husband Chris have lived in Pine Island for eight years with their two sons. Debbie is an ADD/ADHD counselor; Chris is an electrical engineer with UPS; Brian is a photography major graduating from MassArt; and Brendan is a lighting intern with the Gateway Playhouse in L.I. • What is the most critical issue facing the district? Knowing our stakeholders’ concerns on taxes are real while balancing the district’s financial health, I am privileged to have been involved in selecting our new community minded superintendent, who brings qualities of inclusion and respect while having an astute eye to guide us on the path of betterment with the lowest budget in mind. • Why are you running? I believe that to be a community neighbor, to truly live in a town that has helped to successfully educate and raise my own kids (now on their exciting career paths in the Arts), I should unselfishly give back to all the other children who have become our responsibility. Ed Karlewicz • Biographical information: My name is Ed Karlewicz. My wife, Sharyn, son Matthew (12), daughter Genevieve (7) and I moved to Warwick 3 1/2 years ago from Rockland. I am a manager with AT&T and am blessed to be able to work from home. My wife works for Novartis Pharmaceuticals. • What is the most critical issue facing the district? I’m concerned about escalating taxes as well as maintaining educational excellence. My family and I have a vested interested in furthering and enhancing our district’s educational quality unlike some of the other candidates who do not have children in the district. We need to focus on change, not the status quo. We need to embrace technology and ensure that our taxes are truly benefiting our children. • Why are you running? I can’t think of a more important elective position at the local level than that of a school board member. I’m concerned about a tax burden that is forcing life-long residents to move. We must do better; we must be able to ensure that we get the most out of our tax dollars. With some members seeking a 4th term and one seeking a 5th, I believe it’s time to give others a chance to initiate change. Michael L. Meinhardt • Biographical information: Married, two children, a daughter, age 20, college student, working. Son, age 18, senior at Warwick Valley High School, plans to attend college in the fall. Lived in Warwick 33 years. Wife: Denise, office manager. • What is the most critical issue facing the district? The most critical issues facing our district are the negative effects that New York State’s method of financing public schools has on the District gaining consistent budget support from the voters. Although the Warwick Board of Education is currently a major player in Albany to change the state’s method, local voters need to feel we are getting our tax dollars’ worth in order to restore a greater sense of pride in our school district. This can only be accomplished with openness, honesty and energy. • Why are you running? My personal reasons for seeking re-election don’t go too far beyond I enjoy it and feel I bring an ability to bring people with opposing points of view together. I do not come with a personal agenda, recognizing that the Board of Education needs to function as a whole. In the short term, I believe the Warwick School District is better served with board continuity as the persons who hired our new (and I believe excellent) superintendent develop a working relationship to move our district forward. Jerry Sommer • Biographical information: Married (Janne), three children, three grandchildren, none of them in school in Warwick. Fifteen years in Warwick, My wife is a retired lawyer. • What is the most critical issue facing the district? As has been these many years of budget concerns and taxes, they are on the top of the list. Last year I was involved with the School Budget Summit wherein we invited all elected legislators and candidates to get their input on how they would help to reduce taxes. I would like to think this was in small part what drove the governor to rethink the way taxes for schools are put forth. • Why are you running? Try to educate the public as to connect open space and development in Warwick, in order to preserve open space and keep the environment clean, and be able to maintain a reasonable school population.