Schools
Strongsville School Board Election 2011: Richard Micko
As part of our election coverage, Strongsville Patch will provide profiles of each of the city's school board candidates
Name: Richard Micko
Age: 42
Occupation: Owner, Clipper Computer Consulting, Inc. and Director of IT for North Coast Container Corp. I have been an independent computer consultant for 20 years focusing on small business technology needs. In 2011, I joined NCCC as Director of IT.
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Education: St. Ignatius High School
Political Affiliation: Republican
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(board members serve the district on a nonpartisan basis)
Office Sought: Board of Education
Previous Office Sought: Member of the Board of Education, Strongsville, 2009.
Candidate Statement:
My wife Robin and I moved to Strongsville in 2002 to raise our family. Our four children currently attend St. Joseph and John for all-day kindergarten, Muraski and Kinsner Elementary and Center Middle School. I have been attending school board meetings consistently for the last eight years and care deeply about the quality of the education received by our students. I believe the job of our schools is critical for all children to be prepared to become successful adults.
I want to apply my skills as a small business computer consultant for over 20 years to the challenges facing our school district. One hallmark of small business is that every dollar matters. You “sweat the small stuff” so you’re prepared for the larger challenges.
The critical issue financially will be contract negotiations with the teachers' union. Voters have clearly indicated “tax and cut” will not be supported. Sustainable changes to the wages and benefits of the entire paid staff must occur. However, the vehicle for positive change will come through the negotiations with our teachers’ union.
The community is desperate for the school board to have a comprehensive plan and direction for the district. One area to concentrate on is finally developing a master facilities plan with true community involvement. I believe in plain speaking: we need to build a new middle school.
My priority is to restore credibility and trust in the board and district by being a voice of reason, accountable to the community. I have witnessed, and my children have experienced, a decline in academics, extracurricular options, buildings, finances, and ultimately the trust of the community. For these things to change, a new direction by the board must be adopted. We will find ways to deliver more from less, not less for more.