Pueblo D60 candidates discuss school safety, mental health, at Thursday forum

James Bartolo, Pueblo Chieftain
·3 min read

With election night less than five weeks away, nine candidates running for the Pueblo School District 60 board of education addressed a crowd at Pueblo Memorial Hall during a candidate forum on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Brian Cisneros, Dan Comden, Tommy Farrell, Dennis Maes, Sue Pannunzio, Anthony Perko, Sol Sandoval, Bill Thiebaut and Dr. Roger Wright will be on the ballot to fill the four board seats up for election. Cisneros and Perko are running for a two-year term, while the other candidates are seeking four-year terms.

During the forum, candidates addressed a wide range of issues, including school safety, student mental health and academic performance. Each candidate had six minutes to give remarks. The forum was hosted by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Sara Blackhurst of Action 22.

Incumbents tout successes, call for continued progress

Tommy Farrell speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
Tommy Farrell speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Farrell, Perko and Sandoval are the three incumbents running for reelection to the board. Of the three incumbents, Farrell has been on the board the longest.

Elected in 2019, Farrell reminded voters that his first four-year term included the creation of D60 online, construction of five new school buildings and increases in teacher pay. He also advocated for increased state funding, improved mental health resources and arts programs.

Perko and Sandoval were appointed to fill board vacancies left by two board member resignations within the past 13 months. After recounting "compromise solutions" made while on the board, Perko listed addressing enrollment declines and facilities management among his top priorities if elected by voters.

Sol Sandoval Tafoya speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
Sol Sandoval Tafoya speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Sandoval reaffirmed her commitment to improving student mental health, representing students in poverty and giving students a quality education "regardless of their zip code."

"Frankly, we shouldn't have to be playing musical chairs, researching which schools to send our kids to," she said. "All schools should be excellent schools and should be held to the same standards."

What other candidates had to say

Dan Comden speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
Dan Comden speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

At least one of the six non-incumbents will be elected this November, as outgoing board member Barb Clementi will not be seeking reelection.

Two of those non-incumbents, Comden and Maes, have previous experience serving on the Pueblo D60 board. Comden served on the board from 2003 to 2011 and Maes served from 2017 to 2021.

Comden called for "disciplined spending" in his speech, saying that salaries should benefit classrooms and that classrooms should be adequately staffed. He also voiced support for trades education.

Dennis Maes speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
Dennis Maes speaks as a candidate for the District 60 school board during the 2023 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce candidate debates at Memorial Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

Maes spent his six minutes highlighting multiple initiatives he helped implement — including a pro bono mental health program providing free mental health services to students and the $5 million grant-funded D60 Safe Schools and Healthy Students Initiative.

While Thiebaut has not served on the school board, he has served in the Colorado General Assembly as both a representative and senator. He spoke about the need for increased state funding, classroom instruction that encourages creative thinking and safe schools.

School safety was a recurring theme during Thursday night's forum, as Pannunzio and Cisneros also mentioned it among their priorities.

"As a parent, I know the peace of mind that comes from sending your child to a secure and safe learning environment," Cisneros said. "I will advocate for comprehensive safety measures, including updated security protocols, and strong partnerships with law enforcement to create an environment where our children, teachers and community can thrive without fear."

Pannunzio also listed district transparency and support for trades programs among her priorities.

Wright shared background information on his education from small schoolhouses to the University of Iowa, his Army service, along with his dental career in Pueblo West before he ran out of time on Thursday night.

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo D60 candidates share their visions for the district