School Board Candidates Talk Finances, Future

The local and regional school districts' finances dominated much of the discussion Monday as the candidates for both school boards met voters at Eisenhower Middle School.

Six candidates for three seats aboard the Wyckoff Board of Education and two of the three candidates for two Wyckoff seats on the Ramapo Indian Hills school board introduced themselves to voters and took questions in a forum sponsored by the Wyckoff Republican League and the PTO Coordinating Council.

Organizers had invited the candidates who will appear on the ballot for the local board, Catherine Runge and Jill Mortimer, as well as four others who are seeking write-in support for a third, three-year term: Diane Sobin, Thomas Rousseau, Talin H. Young and Deborah Chen. Residents Thomas Bunting and Dr. Lynn Budd took part as candidates for two Wyckoff seats on the regional board, while candidate Sabaudin Skenderi was not in attendance.

WYCKOFF SCHOOL BOARD

Runge believes she would bring a "very strong professional business background to the board" and is "ready to face the challenges of working within the confines of difficult budgets." The five-year resident, who has three children in the school system, said the board has to "become resourceful" to deliver quality education under the funding challenges the district faces.

Mortimer, a 10-year resident with a child at Sicomac Elementary School, is an Indian Hills graduate who grew up in Franklin Lakes. "My roots in these communities go very deep," said Mortimer, a supervisor of curriculum for Northern Highlands Regional High School and its sending districts. "We must plan carefully to make sure our taxes don't drive people out of town," she said.

Sobin, a 14-year resident with two children, feels her background as a financial analyst will "let me take a sharp pencil to the budget," as her work experience allows her to bring a "global view" of what's required when budgeting. 

Rousseau is a former board member and lifelong educator who served on the board's curriculum, transportation and personnel committees during the 1980s. He said one impetus to run was a desire to make the board's work more transparent to the public.

"The members of the board should speak, not rubber stamp. We have to show we operate in a truly democratic process... (people) don't want to fear their presence, they want to welcome them," at board meetings, he said.

For more on Runge, Mortimer, Sobin and Rousseau's backgrounds, follow this link and this link on Wyckoff Patch.

Talin H. Young is a six-year resident with two children in the school system who "thought it was sad" that only two people initially filed to run for the three open board seats. 

Young holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's in counseling. She currently serves as supervisor of guidance at Hackensack High School and formerly was a classroom teacher. As a former elected officer in the administrators' union, she has experience negotiating employment contracts.

She said school board service is an investment in the future of the community: "It's not a thankless job."

Deborah Chen is a three-year resident with two children. Although a recent newcomer to the township, she is a member of the Wyckoff Family YMCA, a parishioner at St. Elizabeth's church, recently finished training for the township's Community Emergency Response Team and is a member of the Wyckoff Newcomers and Neighbors Club.

Chen said the "school system is one of the main reasons" she and her family moved to Wyckoff, and she would "like to be a part of the team" overseeing the district's schools.

Like Rousseau, Mortimer and Young, Chen also has a background in education, as she serves as a social worker in the Hawthorne school district. She believes she can help "continue the high level of education in a fiscally responsible manner.

"I'm a mom whose only special interest is the children," Chen said.

All of the candidates favor a "yes" vote on the district budget, save for Rousseau, who is undecided on his vote. Most praised the present board for making hard choices after losing all of its state aid late in the budgeting process.

"I applaud the effort," said Runge, who realizes "tough choices have to be made" in the future. "Going forward, we have to look at every line item."

Mortimer explained how Northern Highlands dealt with their aid cuts, which leads her to believe "we're in good shape in comparison to other districts."

Sobin acknowledges that the average $290 tax hike the budget would levy is a "big expense" but said the "school system is the foundation of our (property) values" in explaining why a "no" vote could be counterproductive.

Rousseau was "not pleased" with the proposed 2010-11 budget, feeling that "more can come out of it" by way of cuts. He has said the board could have cut more to get ready for what could be continued difficulties during the next budget cycle.

One resident acknowledged the cost of staff salaries and benefits, which makes up the majority of the $33,228,727 spending plan, in asking how the prospective board members would handle negotiations with the Wyckoff Education Association, whose contract expires next year. 

All of the candidates said it was likely inevitable that salary growth would slow, owing to the wider economic realities as well as the financial state of the district.

Chen, a member of the New Jersey Education Association, said the board and teachers alike "need to recognize these are tough times" that may not call for the type of contracted annual increases that teachers have achieved in the past.

Rousseau, who did not negotiate teacher contracts as a board member due to his membership in the union, said it would "get rough at times" when both sides sat at the negotiating table but was confident the teachers and board could reach a common ground that reflects the financial challenges the board faces.

Both Runge and Sobin said negotiators would be charged with finding the appropriate balance between the union's desires and the board's ability to pay.

"You have to understand everyone's perspective," Runge said.

The appointment of Eisenhower Principal Richard Kuder as acting superintendent and the uncertainty surrounding Dr. Janet Razze's future with the district prompted one member of the audience to question the candidates on what qualities they would look for if they had to select a new superintendent.

Mortimer, who has served under multiple superintendents in her position at Northern Highlands, said honesty and approachability are key qualities for a district leader. She also stressed that a successful candidate should not be "involved in the politics" that can often hamstrung superintendents.

All of the candidates agreed that the next superintendent should display strong leadership qualities, preferably demonstrated in a similar job post.

"What we want is competency and experience," said Rousseau, who would select someone "who is willing to look ahead."

Chen said a successful superintendent has to be able to handle the community's concerns. "We need to remember that the superintendent is working for the people in town."

Mortimer and Runge will appear on the ballot, and residents can choose to offer Sobin, Young, Rousseau and Chen write-in support (or write-in any combination of the six, or any other resident, with the three votes to be cast). To write in a resident, press the button in the "personal choice" column next to the ballot line that reads "No Nomination Made." A blinking green X will appear; type in the name of the resident on the keyboard, which will cause the name to appear on the panel. To cast the vote, press enter on the keyboard. The candidates' names must be spelled correctly to ensure they will be tallied as valid votes.

RIH SCHOOL BOARD

Budd, a 33-year resident, is seeking support for her first full term, as she is completing her first year as a member appointed to fill an unexpired seat. Bunting, a 14-year resident, is making his first run for the board. Both said they see school board service as a positive way to give back to the community.

"We moved here for the schools," said Budd, who was formerly dean of students at Fordham University. "It's a wonderful community... a nourishing community. (Board service) is a lot of work but it's a very rewarding kind of work," she said.

Bunting has a finance background and runs an investigative unit for an insurance company. He has served as a recreation football coach and used to run the travel basketball program in town. In part due to his eldest child's urging, Bunting decided to seek a school board seat because he believes "it's a good avenue for my resources.

"I know the kids, I know the parents," said Bunting, who promised to bring a "common-sense" approach if elected.

Both candidates agreed that the regional board will need to be more resourceful going forward if it hopes to maintain the quality of education while dealing with funding challenges on the state and local level.

"I'm very sensitive to the fact that it's very hard times for a lot of people," said Budd, who voted for a budget that reduces the high schools' operating expenses while cutting capital expenditures, reducing some sports schedules and limiting the university programs, among other austerity measures implemented after losing all of its state aid.

"We tried to spread the reductions around to everyone... (and) postpone everything that could be postponed," she said.

Bunting told the crowd that "tough decisions will have to be made," while Budd vowed that there are "no sacred cows" should the board have to cut further if the budget is voted down or if the challenges from the state continue through the next cycle.

"Of course, as a practical matter, if we don't have the funds, programs will have to be cut," Budd said.

In response to an audience member's question, Budd said her greatest strength is her ability at "helping people work together" as she is adept at listening to "other points of view" to reach consensus. Bunting said he brings a unique perspective as the father of a Ramapo High School student, making him particularly attentive to the needs and concerns of the students.

"I can delve into exactly what's going on there," Bunting said.

Polls are open from 2 to 9 p.m. at Eisenhower Middle School (Districts 2, 6), Coolidge Elementary School (Districts 1, 5), Sicomac Elementary School (Districts 4, 8) and Lincoln Elementary School (Districts 3, 7).