Patch Candidate Profile: Tim Aune For ISD 197 School Board

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN — This fall, Mendota Heights residents will vote on school board members for ISD 197.

Tim Aune is one of 10 candidates running for School Board in the Nov. 2 election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Are you running for School Board? Contact Morgan Reddekopp at morgan.reddekopp@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Age (as of Election Day): 58

Position Sought: ISD 197 School Board Member At Large

Party Affiliation: Independent

Family: Sons Luke and Bjorn, Black Labs Heidi and Leila

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education:

B.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T), Grand Rapids (MN) Senior High

Occupation:

Retired. Former Executive FactSet Research Systems (President FactSet Pacific and Sr. V.P. Business Development). Currently Serving on MIT's Corporation Development Committee. Former Chair, MIT Annual Fund Board.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

Campaign website: None

Why are you seeking elective office?:

I benefitted greatly from my public school education and possess a strong desire to repay that which was given me. And I have practical experience in how a board can best fulfill its mission.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it:

Safety of students and staff. For COVID-19, I support the mitigation measures (masks) that have been put in place, and would encourage the district to work closely with Public Health officials to educate all participants in the district of the availability, safety, and efficacy of vaccination.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?:

My interactions with other candidates has been limited so I do not think it appropriate to offer specific contrasts.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency):

I do not see any specific deficit in the current Board. But I do think Boards benefit from new faces and new perspectives. I am not running to feel good about myself. I hope to win a seat and feel I would be an effective board member.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?:

I think the Board performed/is performing well in a dynamic situation filled with a lot of misinformation, frustration, and COVID fatigue. And we are still in a pandemic. Mandating the wearing of masks and strongly encouraging everyone to get vaccinated is the best path for keeping our students in school.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I support an evolving, vetted curriculum that reflects new perspectives, insights, and discoveries. This includes the discussion of racism in our society. I do not view it as a mechanism for placing blame, but rather a means to have a better understanding of historical causes and how racism can be overcome.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?:

Being Chair of the MIT Annual Fund Board. A Board has the responsibility to set policy, but Staff needs to execute for the benefit of the stakeholders, in this case the students and parents. During my tenure I found positive results come by working in concert with staff, applauding their successes and encouraging new ideas and challenging old ones. This can be done while still holding the Administration to high standards, respectfully listening to the concerns of parents, and being wise stewards of the resources provided by the community.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

With two ears and one mouth basic math indicates you should listen more than you speak.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?:

I will try my best to help our students not only learn, but dream.