Samuel DeFrank Seeks First Term on Salisbury Township School Board

Samuel DeFrank believes his career experiences and volunteer work with the Salisbury Youth Association would serve him well if he is elected to the Salisbury Township School Board.

DeFrank, 52, is a sales account executive for national accounts for Wacker Polymer, and has helped negotiate long-term contracts between chemical companies. “I’ve been involved in complex negotiations, tenuous at times, to work to find a compromise that both sides feel is fair,” DeFrank said.

In addition, he has been a coach and manager for the Salisbury Youth Association’s baseball and basketball players. “I’ve tried to help my players not only be better players,” he said, “but also better citizens.”

DeFrank, a Republican, is cross-filed to run in the May 17 primary election, so his name will appear on both the Republican and Democratic ballots. He said he sees the wisdom of cross-filing in school board races.

“You really need to be as neutral as you possibly can,” he said. “Your focus shouldn’t be political. Your focus should be on the school system.”

DeFrank has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rutgers University and an MBA from Rider College in New Jersey.

This is his first run for political office. He was encouraged to run for office by Salisbury Township School Board President Russell Giordano, when they crossed paths during a parent-teacher meeting at Salisbury Township Middle School.

Since then, DeFrank has worked to get up-to-speed with school board issues. However, his family already is very familiar with the school district.

DeFrank once served as president of the varsity basketball booster club at the high school. His wife, Kimberly (maiden name Andrecs) is a graduate of the district. Their son, Samuel DeFrank Jr., is in 8^th grade at the middle school.

Two other sons also graduated from Salisbury Township High School: Justin Bartholomew in 2000 and Josh Bartholomew in 2006.

DeFrank is well aware that school districts throughout the state are facing the loss of nearly $1 billion from the state’s proposed budget.

He is still familiarizing himself with the district’s budget, but DeFrank said he believes the administration and school board are doing an excellent job of dealing with shrinking revenues. School officials were well prepared, he said, and they were “not blindsided” by the news of reduced money from the state.

He needs to get better acclimated with his ongoing attendance at school board meetings, DeFrank said, before he can comment further on the budget situation.

Meanwhile, he has followed discussions about Salisbury Township offering $1.2 million to the school district for land on Emmaus Avenue. DeFrank said he agrees with board members who believe that instead the land should be developed for a community for people over age 55.

That would bring in tax revenue but not bring more students to the district. “It placates all concerns,” DeFrank said. “It’s a great goal.”

DeFrank obviously is not privy to information regarding the ongoing teacher contract negotiations, but he thinks it’s wise to consider the possibility of increasing the teachers’ contributions to their health care coverage.

“The burdens of health care costs are being shared between employer and employee” in other industries, DeFrank said, because health care costs are outpacing inflation. “This definitely needs to be addressed as we go forward.”

DeFrank has mixed emotions about school vouchers. Gov. Tom Corbett supports vouchers, using per-pupil subsidies to allow low-income students in a failing public school to transfer to a different school.

Though he likes the idea of giving students choice, he’s concerned about the burden that might be imposed on a school system with the use of vouchers. The vouchers proposal is still “a work in progress,” DeFrank said, to be further discussed by the state Legislature.

Salisbury Township School District residents are used to “a level of excellence,” DeFrank said, and the challenge ahead is to maintain that and attract good teachers. “My goal is to maintain the quality of education that we offer, which in these changing times isn’t easy.”

DeFrank said he realizes he has some “big shoes to fill” as he seeks election to the school board. Yet, he added, “I can cut through the emotions and get to the core issues.”

There are four cross-filed candidates for the Salisbury Township School Board in the May 17 primary election, DeFrank plus incumbents Giordano, Frank Frankenfield and Thomas Mantz. Two board members have decided to not seek re-election, Keith Reinsmith and Kathleen Heffelfinger.

This means there are five openings on the ballot and the four candidates are virtually assured a win in the primary, for four-year terms. Unless there is a write-in candidate winning the fifth spot in the general election in the fall, the school board will advertise for candidates. The board then will interview candidates and appoint a new board member to fill the fifth position.