2007 election guide: Meet the candidates
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Fairfield City School Board of Education race
Two open seats
Extras
Name: Diana Bailey
Incumbent: No
Experience: One child attended Fairfield grades kindergarten through 12 and another is in 7th grade at the middle school. I am currently the controller at a multimillion-dollar corporation. I have 16 years experience in business planning, HR and accounting.
What needs to be in place to move the Fairfield School District state report card rating from effective to excellent? How can this be done while controlling expenditures?
The Fairfield School District currently has the curriculum and programs in place to achieve an "Excellent" rating. We have achieved a perfect graduation rate and missed the "Excellent" rating by only nine students. We must continue to seek out innovative educational practices. Our current system of funding schools is broken. We must challenge our elected officials in Columbus to provide solutions to our current funding issue. We must continue to trim the excess from our budget without decreasing the quality of our children's education.
Name: Jerome E. Kearns
Incumbent: No
Experience: Assistant director of operations, Butler County Department of Job and Family Services; George Washington University-master's certificate in state and local government contract management; Ohio State University-bachelor of science; 18 years work experience in public sector.
What needs to be in place to move the Fairfield School District state report card rating from effective to excellent? How can this be done while controlling expenditures?
We missed an excellent rating by nine students. We achieved a perfect graduation and near perfect attendance rate, commended and AP scholars and a National Merit semifinalist. Accomplishments such as these come from hard work and focused priorities by students, parents, teachers and community members. This must continue. Our system of funding schools is broken. Our elected officials in Columbus must be challenged to own up to their responsibility to properly fund schools.
Name: Lee Maloney
Incumbent: No
Experience: Retired business manager
What needs to be in place to move the Fairfield School District state report card rating from effective to excellent? How can this be done while controlling expenditures?
Controlling expenditures is simply a matter of self-discipline. Improving all the basic skills in the early years. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 35 percent of our children obtain a "proficiency" rating in 4th grade reading.
Name: Erik Rivera
Incumbent: No
Experience: Previous candidate
What needs to be in place to move the Fairfield School District state report card rating from effective to excellent? How can this be done while controlling expenditures?
One word: accountability; we need a district superintendent that will hold our educators accountable to their jobs. Accountability starts at the top. How can this be done while controlling expenditures? Discipline, while there may be less staff to educate in the future due to economic conditions, class size will remain the same or drop, because we will ask our educators to instruct four classes a day in the high school instead of just three, or six hours actual instruction time up from 4.5 per day.
Fairfield Twp. Trustee
One seat open
Name: Joseph M. McAbee
Incumbent: Yes
Experience: 12 years Fairfield Twp. trustee, 16 years financial services/insurance representative. Former teacher/coach. Bachelor of science degree, Methodist College, master's degree in education, Miami University, Oxford. Ohio Township Association, Butler County Land Use Committee, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments.
What parts of the Fairfield Twp. infrastructure and public safety services are in need of upgrading and how would those upgrades be financed?
Widen Bypass Ohio 4. As soon as the engineering is complete, we will move forward to improve the intersection of Bypass 4 and Hamilton-Mason Road. We just received a matching federal grant to help complete the $5,000,000 project. We'll continue to seek funding to complete the township portion of the road as well as finish the western loop of Princeton and Gilmore Roads, including sidewalks, curbs, landscaping.
Name: Terry Scharnhorst
Incumbent: No
Experience: Resident 30 years, local business 35 years; owner, Wholesale Furniture, 21 years; Roger Bacon H.S./N.C.H. H.S. Butler County Police Academy and Law Enforcement ORC at Miami University; police officer for 10 years; BCSD, Special Division. Elected Butler County Republican Central Committee, Butler County Executive Committee.
What parts of the Fairfield Twp. infrastructure and public safety services are in need of upgrading and how would those upgrades be financed?
Road improvements and maintaining an excellent level of safety services as Fairfield Twp. grows is paramount. It is vital to keep pace with these needs without irresponsibly taxing our residents. Tax increment financing (TIF) funds can be used to improve roads, while our Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) funds can be utilized for our police/fire/EMS service, including equipment, training and personnel. Grant opportunities will be investigated.
Fairfield Twp. Fiscal Officer
One open seat
Name: Nancy Bock
Incumbent: Yes
Experience: Fiscal Officer, Fairfield Twp., eight years; assistant manager, Fairfield License Center, 18 years; comptroller, Buckeye Tire, nine years; general accounting/payroll, Bains Anchor Marine and Mary Louise Schum Interiors; graduate of Stephen T. Badin High School, attended Miami University.
What skills/qualifications do you bring to the position of Fairfield Twp. Fiscal
Officer?
My high school and college education focused on business and accounting. During my two terms as Fairfield Twp. Fiscal Officer, our budget has nearly tripled from $6 million to more than $17 million. I have a good working relationship with all township departments. As assistant manager of the Fairfield License Center, my duties include accounting, payroll and staff management. My record clearly shows how much I care about my responsibilities and my community.
Name: Joseph P. Ebbing
Incumbent: No
Experience: I majored in accounting, receiving a bachelor of science degree from Miami University. After graduation I was employed as a finance manager by ACS State & Local Solutions Inc., a Fortune 500 company with local and state government contracts. I have been the fiscal officer for the Village of New Miami for the past two years.
What skills /qualifications do you bring to the position of Fairfield Twp. Fiscal Officer?
Through my education and work experience I have become proficient and well versed in: governmental accounting, including GASB pronouncements; state, federal and local laws and administrative rules related to personnel, taxes, accounting, records, meetings, government organization; and governmental cost allocation. For more information please visit www.fiscalofficer.info.
Fairfield City Council wards:
First Ward, uncontested
Name: Mike Snyder
Incumbent: Yes
Experience: Appointed to Council in July 2000 and elected 2003, public utilities committee chair, public safety committee chair, vice mayor in 2006, U.S. Air Force 1967-1972.
What parts of the City of Fairfield infrastructure and public safety services are in need of upgrading and how would those upgrades be financed?
An upgrade and modernization of the municipal building is on the drawing boards, and we look for the right opportunity to focus on the northeast quadrant of the downtown area. The public safety services are constantly reviewed and updated to integrate the newest technology and methods. Sound fiscal policies over the years have allowed the projects to date, and the projects in the near future, to be funded through current revenues and grants.
Second Ward, one seat open
Name: Donald L. Hassler
Incumbent: No
Experience: Retired from Proctor & Gamble, Glendale High, retired Fairfield Auxiliary Police Officer, veteran of Korean War, 16 years city council, six years vice mayor chairman-Council's Public Works Committee, vice chairman Butler County T1D, On Fairfield Planning Commission and Parks Board
What parts of the City of Fairfield infrastructure and public safety services are in need of upgrading and how would those upgrades be financed?
It is important the city focus on the recruitment and retention of quality personnel for our safety services. As the demand for service increases it is likely additional personnel will need to be added. Funding for the police is generated from the general fund, while the fire department is funded by a permanent levy as well as supplemental revenues from EMS billing. With planning, I believe this can be accomplished without additional city taxes.
Name: Marty Judd
Incumbent: Yes
Experience: Second Ward Councilman since January 2004, current vice mayor council representative to planning commission, vice chair of public works committee, former parks and fair housing board member.
What parts of the City of Fairfield infrastructure and public safety services are in need of upgrading and how would those upgrades be financed?
My biggest concern with the city's infrastructure is the area of Sandy Lane and Patterson Boulevard. This area is the final piece of the puzzle of the downtown quadrant. Council will look at a redevelopment of this area at the next capital improvement project discussions. I feel police, fire and paramedic protection is excellent. However, there is one area that needs to be addressed. Having rode with the police myself, I saw the need for one to two additional officers per shift. I want to look into the possibility of state or federal grant money to fund both of these projects.
Third Ward, uncontested
Name: Mitch Rhodus
Incumbent: Yes
Experience: Third Ward councilman since January 2004, planning commission member for eight years, city council's planning commission representative for two years, parks board member for 12 years, pubic utilities chair for two years.
What parts of the City of Fairfield infrastructure and public safety services are in need of upgrading and how would those upgrades be financed?
Due to conservative spending and oversight, the city is sitting really well right now. We have an excellent police and fire department with the latest in equipment/technology. Therefore I really do not see any need for any major upgrades. The next major one that is already financed is the county-wide radio system to be online next year.
Fourth Ward, uncontested
Name: Terry Senger
Incumbent: No
Experience: Former city councilman from 1994 to 1997, former school board member from 2003 to 2006, served one tour in Iraq after being deployed in 2006, 30 years in U.S. Marine Corps (eight years active duty and the remainder in the reserves).
What parts of the City of Fairfield infrastructure and public safety services are in need of upgrading and how would those upgrades be financed?
Many areas of Fairfield's infrastructure have been improved in recent years, such as the new justice center, new fire station, the new public works facility and the new library. So I think the emphasis should be on maintaining the infrastructure that we have and upgrade existing facilities appropriately.
Butler County Educational Service Center
Two seats
Name: Graham P. Pritchard
Incumbent: No
Name: Daniel M. Young
Incumbent: Yes
