Plattsburgh BOE hopefuls make pitches to voters
May 11—PLATTSBURGH — Eight candidates are running to fill four upcoming vacancies on the Plattsburgh City School District's Board of Education.
Three of the vacancies will be created when the terms of Board President Leisa Boise and members Amelia Goerlitz and Ron Marino expire June 30. The fourth occurred earlier this school year when Tracy Rotz resigned.
Boise and Marino are running for re-election. Marino said, if he wins, this new term will be his last.
The six challengers are Nikki Burdo, Amy Gervich, Steve Krieg — who previously served on the board until last year —, Joel Lautenschuetz, Brigitte Phillips and Derek Rosenbaum.
The three candidates with the highest number of votes will be elected to three-year terms that start July 1, 2021 and end June 30, 2024.
The candidate who places fourth will serve out the remainder of Rotz's unexpired term, which lasts until June 30, 2022. That person could be sworn in as soon as May 19.
The Press-Republican reached out to all eight candidates for their ages, occupations and why they want to serve on the board:
Name: Leisa Boise.
Age: 55.
Occupation: Retail store manager.
Why I want to serve: I've served our district with pride for the past 16 years, many of these as board president. This experience has been rewarding, inspiring, humbling and challenging.
My motivation to serve is unchanged: to provide the best educational opportunities for children. Over the years, I've been privileged to work with all sorts of stakeholders (teachers, staff, parents, taxpayers, students) to try to unite people behind the common goal of supporting student success. These constituents, I believe, have consistently found me approachable, accessible and visible. I'm proud of our excellent school district, and of the stability (of programs and of finances) to which I've been able to contribute.
Name: Nikki Burdo.
Age: 46.
Occupation: COO/Integrator, Twinstate Technologies.
Why I want to serve: I have three children: Sydney who is currently a senior at SUNY Plattsburgh, and Sophie and Halle who are students in the Plattsburgh City School District. I have been an active member of the city school district dating back to when I was in college (1996) and did my senior internship at PHS. I was a modified volleyball coach for many years prior to having my children and continued my involvement when my children started school in all areas.
I'm running to support a collaborative approach between teachers, parents and administrators; promote transparency; and encourage a team approach. Good things can happen for our students and our district if we work together and build a strong vision.
Name: Amy Gervich.
Age: 44.
Occupation: Lecturer, SUNY Plattsburgh Childhood Education Program.
Why I want to serve: While attending a recent school board meeting, I watched Oak Street fifth-graders inquire about whether the Board of Education listens to the needs and interests of students. I hope to demonstrate to our students that their voices matter by working with fellow board members to address student concerns. If elected, I will champion opportunities for all students in our district. I will visit schools to see student successes and listen to the challenges that teachers face. I will also urge PCSD to seek grant opportunities to support student learning. This may allow the district to be more creative and mindful of the budget, which impacts all city residents.
I am running as a parent of two Plattsburgh CSD students and as an educator with 21 years of classroom experience. I served as the parent representative on the School Improvement Plan Committee at Glasgow Elementary from 2013 to 2019. In this role, I listened to the concerns of parents and worked to solve school challenges. I believe that communication and transparency are keys to building a productive school climate where students, faculty and staff can have faith that decisions are made in the best interests of our educators, learners, families and community.
Name: Steve Krieg.
Age: 63.
Occupation: Optometrist, semi-retired.
Why I want to serve: Since the pandemic began, Plattsburgh students and those of many other districts throughout our nation have been learning remotely. Studies have shown that students are not progressing, and in many cases they are regressing with remote instruction. The CDC has relaxed guidelines for school attendance. All teachers are now eligible to be vaccinated, and a large percentage of our vulnerable population has been vaccinated. Kids need to be in schools. They need academics. They need music. They need art. They need sports. They need socialization. Someday they will have to compete with students from all over the world, including nations like China.
Our district has recently returned to in-person instruction, and the administration and faculty need support to keep students there and to get them back up to speed. In my previous 10 years on the board, I was on the budget, negotiating and audit committees. I want to use the knowledge I gained to help the district keep the schools safely open, and to protect the future of our most valuable resource, our children.
I am not involved in partisan politics. I think both sides go too far, and I won't bring partisanship to the school board.
Name: Joel Lautenschuetz.
Age: 47.
Occupation: Third-generation union pipefitter and project manager, Pipeline Mechanical of Plattsburgh, a family business.
Why I want to serve: I am running for a spot on the BOE to be an advocate for children, their families, our teachers and our community members. I have four children who will be students in the Glasgow, Oak Street, Stafford and PHS buildings next year. My wife, April, and I have lived in the City of Plattsburgh for the past 12 years. She has been employed as a PCSD occupational therapist since 2008.
I hope to support improvements in academics, arts and athletic programs that better prepare our students for their future. I would like to play a role in providing the tools, environments and technology our schools and teachers need to provide a quality education while maintaining safe and meaningful experiences.
I also hope to share my expertise as project manager for a mechanical contractor. My work experience has given me an intimate knowledge of construction and capital projects that would be relevant to the district. My experience in a business leadership position has equipped me with strong negotiation skills. I feel I can bring a level-headed approach with practical solutions to the issues that arise within a school district.
Name: Ron Marino.
Age: Preferred not to answer.
Occupation: Glens Falls National Bank vice president, retired; U.S. Navy/Naval Reserve, retired.
Why I want to serve: I started out eight years ago believing that we needed to ensure our students' educational future, provide as many possibilities that we can afford and, at the same time, not bankrupt the people that are paying the bills, most notably the taxpayers. I also believed that we needed a greater balance on the board for true representation of the entire district. To accomplish that, I proposed the terms change to three years versus five years to induce more people to run for election to the board. In addition, we now have an exemption for veterans on our school taxes. Those are two things that I supported strongly.
This year we have received greater government aid that could be used to reduce the tax rate of 2.03% altogether. I suggested that the increase be reduced to 1.03% and the balance for programs. Two of us voted in favor of that.
I am pleased with the field and number of people looking for a seat on the board. Hopefully, no matter how this election finishes, we will have a better balance than we have at the present time.
Name: Brigitte Phillips.
Age: 49.
Occupation: School psychologist, Champlain Valley Educational Services BOCES.
Why I want to serve: My name is Brigitte Phillips and I have been a Plattsburgh resident for over 25 years. I am the mother of two: a PHS graduate and a sophomore.
I am running for a seat on the school board to ensure that Plattsburgh City School District continues to strive to be a leader in education in the North Country. With my experience, I believe I can bring a multitude of knowledge to the table.
I have been in education for the past 26 years. I currently work as a school psychologist for the local BOCES system and am an active member of our union. This experience has provided me with an understanding of the needs of students, the inner workings of a district and the importance of a union. I'm also a current member of the PHS Booster Club, holding the position of president.
I value collaboration, transparency and responsible decision-making while addressing the needs of our students, staff, parents and the community. I realize school boards face a lot of complicated issues. With my background in education, I believe I can add a lot of knowledge and experience to help address these issues.
I humbly request your support.
Name: Derek Rosenbaum.
Age: 39.
Occupation: Real estate appraiser, self-employed.
Why I want to serve: I've contemplated running for a few years and with two kids in the district I felt it was most important to be involved now, especially after this past year with the challenges brought on by COVID-19. I would rather be part of the decision-making for the school district and better understand how things work instead of sitting on the sidelines not really grasping how and why decisions are made.
I feel that I would bring a unique skillset to the board. As an appraiser, a city property owner and former assessor I have good knowledge of how property assessments and real estate development interact with the school budget and the corresponding tax rate. In addition, I have good relationships with many educators in the area and I understand the enormous task they face to provide quality education for all students.
In the end, I do believe it is possible for the district to be fiscally responsible while fairly serving its students, educators and taxpayers alike.
Email Cara Chapman:
Twitter: @PPR_carachapman
PLAN TO VOTE
This year, school board elections and district budget votes will take place via both absentee ballot and in-person voting.
Absentee ballot applications, available for Plattsburgh City School District residents at tinyurl.com/3vud3825, must be received by Tuesday, May 11 if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, and returned to the district clerk no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday May 18.
The district will offer in-person voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 18 at three locations: Momot Elementary School, the Duken Administration Building and Glasgow (Bailey) Elementary School. Voting locations within those buildings will be indicated by signage.
