The races for Concord School District Charter Commission are uncontested in District B and District C this year, each with two candidates seeking two seats in each district.
In District B, which represents Wards 5, 6 and 7, Bill Glahn and Nancy Kane are seeking spots on the Commission, which is being assembled to conduct a 10-year review of the school district’s charter. Members of the commission will be able to review, revise or establish a new school district charter, which determines how the district operates.
Occupation: Lawyer. Partner, McLane Middleton Professional Association.
Connection to the School District: I served on the Concord School Board for 4 years in the 1980s and for an additional 7 years from 2006-2013 (with a year off in 2009). My two sons attended Concord schools.
Why are you running for the Commission, and what will you bring to the role? I served on the Charter Commission about 10 years ago. As someone who served on the School Board and the Commission, I think I bring experience in how the Board works, as well as how it has operated for at least the 37 years spanning the years that I was on the Board. I have lived in Concord for more than 46 years and believe I have a good understanding of the role of the Board in the community.
Do you think Concord voters should have a direct say over the school district budget, or elect representatives to the school board to decide overall school spending? In a word: no. Concord voters have a direct say in who is on the School Board and are able to express their views to the Board at any meeting. In the 1980s, voters often came to the Board to express their views – particularly on budget matters. That was not the case in my second stint on the Board. Board budget hearings often attracted one to two voters. Voters have no direct say in the City budget. Why should the School Board be different?
The School District’s budget is complicated, and the Board spends many hours analyzing it before it is adopted. Voters rarely have that level of understanding, not because they couldn’t do so, but because they rarely devote — or may be unable to devote — the hours necessary to do so. I fear that if the District’s budget was subject to a direct vote by all District voters, political considerations (by which I mean considerations other than the quality of education in the District) would have an undue influence, as is often the case in small towns. The voters have a simple remedy if they are unhappy with the Board: they can vote for new Board members, or run for the Board themselves.
Occupation: Executive Director, Anticancer Lifestyle Foundation; retired Director of Concord Hospital’s Payson Center of Cancer Care
Connection to the School District: We have two children who graduated from CHS. I am an engaged and interested community member who has lived here since 1990.
Why are you running for the Commission, and what will you bring to the role? I spent one year on the Concord School Board (completing someone’s term) and feel my operational knowledge would be a helpful addition to the Commission. I am interested in keeping the District’s decision-making ability independent from the City Council. Having a group of elected officials solely focused on the needs of the district and its students is important to me.
Do you think Concord voters should have a direct say over the school district budget, or elect representatives to the school board to decide overall school spending? I think the elected members of the School Board are in the best position to make budgetary decisions for the district. Their sole focus is the needs of the students and they spend a great deal of time on budgetary decisions.
Two candidates are running to be elected to two District C seats on the Concord School District Charter Commission in November. Cathryn Vaughn and Eric Weiner are seeking spots on the Commission.
The two District C members will be elected by voters residing in Wards 8, 9 and 10 on Election Day, Nov. 2.
Occupation: Attorney/Manager RiverStone Resources LLC
Connection to the School District: I am the parent of a student in the school district.
Why are you running for the Commission, and what will you bring to the role? The Concord School District Charter requires the Charter to be reviewed at certain intervals to ensure it is meeting the needs of the community. This is an important process and I believe my experience as an attorney, former teacher, former school board member, and parent make me well suited to review the Charter and help determine whether or not it should be amended.
Do you think Concord voters should have a direct say over the school district budget, or elect representatives to the school board to decide overall school spending? I am happy with the current system, in which elected representatives to the school board decide on the school budget. Members of the school budget are well informed on the district’s needs and generally take the responsibility very seriously. The board holds public forums to receive the public’s input on the budget and the board considers and uses that input in the creation of its budget.
Eric Weiner
This candidate has not responded to requests for comment.