E.A. 'Ted' Lloyd, Exeter Regional Coop School Board Candidate

E.A. "Ted" Lloyd

Age (as of Election Day)

75

Position sought (including ward or district number if applicable)

East Kingston Member of Exeter Regional Coop School Board

Party Affiliation

N/A, I am running for a non-partisan position

Family

My wife Gisela is of an undisclosed age, and we've lived in East Kingston for 18 years

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BA and MBA

Occupation

I've worked for 30 years in the field of Materials Management and Procurement. I am retired from the Gillette Company in Boston.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I have served on many boards both in my business career and since retiring. I participated the East Kingston Salary Review committee, and on the New Library Building Committee which was responsible for the design and construction of the beautiful library here in town. I have served as an elected Library Trustee for ten years, and I’ve been a member of the Trustees of the Trust Funds since 2012. In these civic positions, I have become quite familiar with how New Hampshire government works, the RSA requirements and the public offices. Finally, the last six months of actually being on the School Board have given me a good perspective of the job.

Campaign website

None

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’ve been concerned for many years about the rising taxpayer costs of education in SAU16. The latest information about the decline in the quality of the education provided convinced me I had to get involved. When the East Kingston member of the Co-Op Board moved out of town, I volunteered for the appointment to fill the position until the next election. Having been on the Board now for six months, I have some insight into the issues and problems in the SAU, and feel that with the right composition of the board we can start to make necessary changes and begin to correct the situation.

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

As I mentioned above, I feel the Exeter School system is failing in its responsibility to provide quality academic education to our children at reasonable cost to our taxpayers. Despite a declining enrollment, the recently approved budget for the coming fiscal year averages over $26,000 per student, against a statewide average of around $19,500.

A major reason for this situation is that many on the board act as if their responsibility is to represent the administration and teachers, while in fact their job is to represent the parents and taxpayers while overseeing and supervising the administration. The board lacks transparency in their processes and procedures, and lacks accountability for the poor results provided our children and taxpayers. Many parents feel that they have lost control of their children's eduction.

I will work to change this culture to provide both the transparency and the accountability of the Board to restore academic excellence at a reasonable cost to the taxpayers.

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

I will hit the ground running. While I am in the minority on the current board, I have and will keep parents and taxpayers informed as to my opinions and my objectives. I have called out the majority on issues and procedures not in the best interests of the students and/or the taxpayers.

The seat for which I’m running is the final year of a 3- year term, at the end of which I intend to run again. The problems that exist cannot be resolved in one year.

With the help of the voters, this election can totally change the composition of the board, allowing for a new majority to represent the parents and taxpayers as our constituents; to establish and drive the educational goals for the district; to strengthen the budgets in support of those goals, while limiting the other parts of the budget which distract from those goals; and finally to begin to assume our proper role, actively overseeing the Superintendent.

In a single year it will be be difficult to accomplish fully any of these objectives, but we need to set the process in motion in the coming year, and continue to improve the composition of the board by a strong campaign in 2023.

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

I am the incumbent, but I only have 6 months on the Board. In my observation the current makeup of the board is part of the problem in SAU16.

My opponent, who has previously served on this board, will undoubtedly continue the status quo.

With the help of newly-elected members and like-minded incumbents, I will work hard be a change agent, to make the board part of the solution.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

In year 1, I will work with like-minded members to achieve a strong start to the objectives listed above. We will make the operation of the board streamlined and more transparent, focused on setting our educational goals for the district. We will reflect those goals in our meeting and committee structure, and our reporting to the public. We will build consensus on objectives and strategies for contract negotiation and budgets to support those goals. We will review and revise policies so as to be consistent with our educational goals.

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

With 30 years in the private sector as a member of the senior management team, I have been accountable for budgets far in excess of the SAU's. I am quite familiar with hiring and firing executive-level employees. I have expertise in strategic planning, goal- and objective-setting, and board-level processes and decision making.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"Parents want three things out of their school: quality academics and teachers; a safe school environment; and, parental respect and engagement."

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

I have shown in the past 6 months that I respect parents and will engage them to help the board become part of the solution. I will constantly fight for a safe school environment with quality academics and teachers. That is my pledge.