Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - Candidates for Wawasee Community School Board were featured during a public forum Monday.
The seven candidates - one in absentia - answered questions for nearly 90 minutes and remained cordial in front of an audience of about 50 people.
Candidates gave prepared answers to questions they received earlier from the sponsoring Wawasee Community Educators Association.
The final portion involved questions from the audience, which focused mostly on needed improvements at North Webster School and the lack of knowledge about the migrant program.
Voters in the district on Nov. 5 will choose two new board members.
Candidates include Dave Carey from the 1st District; Scott Abbs and Jeff Wells from the 2nd District; and John Weiss, Bill Troup, Bruce Lamb and Derk Kuhn from the 3rd District.
The two winners must be the top two vote getters from different districts.
Wells, who learned of the public event later than others, was unable to attend, but submitted answers to questions from the first portion of the program.
The pool of candidates include:
Carey, a businessman who served previously on the board for 12 years.
Abbs, who works in sales and engineering.
Weiss, the only incumbent, has an engineering background and points out that he hasn't missed a board meeting in his four years on the board.
Troup, a former board member with eight years' experience, served in the United States Air Force and is a longtime employee of NIPSCO.
Lamb, who works in the veterinary business, has been active in 4-H and serves on the Purdue Legislative Network.
Kuhn, a native of Kosciusko County, pointed out that his dyslexia and his ability to overcome the problem gives him insight on student disabilities.
If there was any sparring it likely occurred between Weiss and Abbs.
Abbs complained that the new middle school is using outdated computers and teaching outdated programs. Weiss said the school is now using better instructors and that the district is already dedicating large allocations of money into computer technology.
Abbs said with a new superintendent arriving soon, the district is "at a crossroads," and that a fresh face on the board would be good.
Weiss warned that electing two new school board members would make the board one of the most inexperienced in the state.
Most candidates agreed hiring a new superintendent would be the most pressing job of the new board.
Selecting a superintendent to replace Henry Smith is expected before the end of the year. The board has said new board members will have input on the selection after the election.
Wells, whose answers were communicated by the moderator, said the district needs a "superintendent for the long haul" who is "willing to listen not only to the board, but also teachers and administrators."
One of the questions posed from the audience dealt with concerns about the North Webster school.
All of the candidates agreed the building is in serious disrepair, with Kuhn suggesting the building represents a safety hazard.
Weiss pointed out that school administrators in North Webster have not submitted any proposal, and that the district's debt level is in the top 25 percent in the state. He said he expects construction of a new facility to begin within five years.
Lamb said conditions are so bad that the building is not conducive to effective learning. He suggested the project could be phased in.
Carey said there is no question the building needs improvements, but suggested it be delayed until some other debts are retired.
Weiss pointed out that won't happen until about 2007.
Candidates were also asked whether they think Hispanic students are being served effectively.
Four of the candidates - Weiss, Troup, Lamb and Carey - admitted they knew little about the migrant program.
Carey called for more channels of communication, and Lamb said concerns about the Hispanic community need to be heard.
Abbs said it was a shame that school officials are apparently unsure whether the migrant program is in compliance with state guidelines.
