Irvington's School Board Candidate Debate: First Post

Last night’s IUFSD Board Candidate Debate: two hours of uncomfortable heat. And the room was unremittingly warm, too! Plus, in some ways, there were more than 5 candidates—but more about that in another report.

The Debate was pretty good and worthwhile overall. Most important, the candidate’s real qualities and attitudes and concerns were evident, despite a few offensively scripted questions. Following is a synopsis of opening statements, questions posed and candidates’ closing remarks (extensive coverage of candidates answers to questions will be posted in a day or so).

The very (revealing) short of it, based on the candidates’ opening statements:

• John Dawson played a Mayor Pothole to the max by booming “good hires”, “paved roads” and, at his deflective best, “…and I wasn’t involved in the teacher’s contract”
• Della Lenz presented herself as honored to serve, children first, tax watcher and citizen who depends on others’ knowledge “available to us”
• Maria Kashkin introduced herself as 3-student parent with a long community track record and as one who is clearly focused on the future, not today’s squabbles
• Robyne Camp, unlike the other candidates, expressed no thanks to anyone, even the debate organizers, and just said she is mindful that Board trusteeship is about oversight and not micromanagement
• Robyn Kerner made 4 concise points about herself: best education for the money, she’s an experienced Board member who will help a relatively inexperienced Board and  new Superintendent, she offers a future of smart questions followed by creative solutions and, last, we her collaborative consensus building skills

The Women’s League of Voters then threw out the first question: “If elected, what are your ideas for saving money?”

Eight audience questions (paraphrased) then followed:

1. Tim Connick, IUFSD employee: “How do you all feel about the terms under which Jim Reese retired from our District?”
2. David Rubin, taxpayer: “How do you feel about this year’s budget?”
3. Ed Berenson, taxpayer: “Will you promise to stay under the tax cap/”
4. Mike Morley, former Board-member: “What do you intend to do about our athletic fields?”
5. Anne Carroll, taxpayer “What is your understanding of the budget variables we don’t control?”
6. Allyson Weintraub, taxpayer, “As a BTF-member I offered the Board all kinds of savings which weren’t followed up; we’re now losing our best teachers; what are your ideas for savings?”
7. Jill Rembar, taxpayer: “What is your pie-in-the-sky wish list for our District?”
8. Danny Gold, former Board member, “What are your thoughts regarding the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Teaching and HR position?”

At 8:50pm the moderator ended audience questions and moved on to closing candidate statements. Their paraphrased ideas:

• Dawson: “Why would my family be involved in this campaign?”, I personally struggle with money so taxes are most important, I’m a volunteer and a long-term member of IVAC
• Lenz: strong children’s advocate, diverse friends, I want to learn from history, differing ideas are good, open and inclusive, PTSA Coffees were good and meet me at The Black Cat on…
• Kashkin: our property values depend on good schools, we must be creative, we have to carefully watch O&M expenses, our new superintendent needs a strong, supportive, decisive, collaborative, cohesive Board
• Camp: why did we pay Matusiak so much?, paying her 1 year out of her 2 remaining contract years was a good deal for Irvington, we’re paying $250K to our new Super because we can’t overcome the small pool of candidates, I’ve provided transparency, I think the Board met illegally in executive session to tell me to stop talking in public and making it look like I was speaking for the Board
• Kerner: we need strong leaders like me to budget effectively, the 2 lowest school tax increases ever were on my watch, I create a collaborative environment, please take into account that this is a very complicated job that Board members understand well which why I have endorsements from almost every retired Board Member

Complete candidate answers and commentary and analysis will be posted on Diligentsia over the next day or so, as will discussion of who the “other” candidates present were (as well as their roles).

The debate’s complete video will also be available for broadcast viewing on the Irvington Vilage TV channel (check with PTSA for details). It will not be available for broadcast to our Tarrytown residents. The debate video will also be posted on the District website, edline (check with Elaine Cardea, Sec'y to the Superintendent, for details).