With two races shaping up for seats on the Carbondale Area School Board, potential directors agree that finances and education will be key issues in the coming term.
Sitting board member Joseph Petak, 76, from Region 1, said during his one term on the board, saving money has been a major push, which he hopes to continue.
"I think we can try to balance our budget ourselves without borrowing to balance the budget," he said, noting that he would like to see the Fell Elementary School building, now empty, either sold or used.
Candidate Jimmy Dovin, 44, also of Region 1, had similar thoughts, saying that he has been watching what the board has been dealing with this year.
"I want to make sure the budgets are balanced, and within their constraints, and money is being spent for the right reasons," Mr. Dovin said.
Another newcomer, Cindy Turonis Artone, 44, from Region 3, said she was also concerned about the state budget and how it would affect the district's finances.
"I want to know where all this money is going and why taxes have to get raised," she said.
She also pointed out math and reading tutoring programs have been cut.
"I understand that all schools need this funding, but we're a low-income area and district," she said. "We have a lot of families that can't afford tutoring."
Tracey Andrews, 58, a current board member from Region 3, said that in addition to careful maintenance of finances, education needed to be a priority.
"We need to really focus on providing the best education we can to keep the parents and kids interested and not lose as many kids to cyber school," she said.
Mrs. Turonis Artone and Mr. Dovin both added that school safety would be a consideration in the coming year.
All candidates also pointed out that they had no interest in helping friends or family find jobs within the district. All four have had children graduate or have students currently enrolled in the district, and supporting all students is their main priority.
"The school district is the heart of the community," Mrs. Andrews said. "Everything revolves around the school district. If you have a good school district, you have a good community."
Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on TwitterJimmy Dovin
Age: 44
Family: Wife: Jennifer; daughters, Katelyn, 13, Jenna, 11
Education: Carbondale Area Junior-Senior High School, graduated from Williamsport Area Community College
Employment: service person technician at UGI, Penn Natural Gas
Municipality: Richmondale
Experience: President of the Richmondale Hunting Club, president of Susquehanna Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association, past president of Northern Counties Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation
Top Issues: safety, education and taxpayers
Joseph Petak
Age: 76
Family: Wife, Sonja; children: Donna Lytfelder, 54, Joey Petak Jr., 52, Debbie Gillott, 50, David Petak, 47, Tammy Curtis, 42
Education: Carbondale Area Junior-Senior High School
Employment: Retired
Municipality: Simpson
Experience: President of St. Basil's Church, five years; Carbondale Area School Board, 2009-present
Top issue: Finances
Tracey Andrews
Age: 58
Family: Husband, Bill; Children, Carrie Andrews, 35, Christopher Andrews, 33, Frank Andrews, 32, Matt Andrews, 30, Katura Taylor, 28, Ashley Machiesky, 26, Carl Andrews, 24
Education: St. Rose High School
Employment: Retired
Municipality: Carbondale
Experience: Girl Scout leader, five years; cheerleading coach, one year; Northeast Education Intermediate Unit, seven years; Carbondale Area School Board, 2003-2007; 2009-present
Top issue: Preparing students for math and sciences
Cindy Turonis Artone
Age: 44
Family: Husband, Sam; daughters, Alexandra and Maresa, both 14, and Samantha, 13
Education: Carbondale Area Junior-Senior High School, attended Penn State Worthington Scranton and Wilkes University
Employment: waitress, manager at Frank's Place Restaurant and Bar
Municipality: Carbondale
Top issue: finances and state funding cuts