Pike-Delta-York: 5 vie for education board seat

10/20/2004

DELTA - Candidates for a seat on the Pike-Delta-York board of education include business owners, educators, and a former board member.

Stephen Mattin, who has served eight years on the board, is among five candidates for the seat vacated by Robin Rayfield last week. Mr. Rayfield, recently named superintendent of the Swanton school district, said his duties "have proven to be rewarding, however, the time and energy necessary to complete my duties at Swanton prevent me from being the kind of board member the good people of Delta deserve."

Candidates, who will be interviewed during a special school board meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the board office, include:

●Beverly Ernst, a retired PDY teacher whose expertise "lies in the area of curriculum and the process of teaching and learning," according to her application. She said she has "very current knowledge of the requirements of the state of Ohio as to testing and proficiency for our students." She is the district's mentor coordinator, but she would be willing to resign and work without pay.

●Scott Allen, who has 16 years of sales experience in the furniture, service, and livestock industry. He started Kimco International and Allen & Allen Cattle Co. in 1994. As director of the Fulton County Cattle Feeders Association, his responsibilities include organizing the beef stand at the Fulton County Fair.

●Tiffany Adamski, a teacher at Life Skills Center in Toledo and online adjunct faculty member for the ITT Technical Institute. She ran unsuccessfully for Toledo City Council.

"I know how to run to a campaign and understand the political aspects of the school board and elections," she stated in her application.

●Scott Sullivan, a local business owner, said he's "always been wan outspoken supporter of our school and have assisted in levy campaigns." With no children in the school system, he said he can "be objective with regard to the many difficult decisions that we will face in the future concerning economics and academics."

●Mrs. Puehler, who was elected to the board in 1999, said that "after serving on the school board for four years, I felt that I was just getting my feet wet, and was really beginning to understand the complications of helping on major decisions of operating a school system, when our four years were up." She runs Grandma's Kitchen in Delta, and sells produce, baked goods, and other items at farmers' markets in Toledo and Ann Arbor, Mich.

●Mr. Mattin, a dentist in Delta, served on the board from 1990 to 1998.

"As a lifelong resident of the community I have had deep involvement with the school system. My experience of being on the board for eight years would be helpful if I were to be selected," he said. He has been involved in youth sport programs.

The board likely will fill the vacancy during its Nov. 9 meeting, said Superintendent Russ Griggs. The new member will serve through 2005. The balance of the term would be up for election in November, 2005.

As a PDY board member, Mr. Rayfield's duties included developing policies and regulations that allowed the professionals from the educational system to do what is best for children, he said, noting that he hopes that his replacement "will take the same reverent attitude to the PDY board that I attempted to demonstrate."