Salem hopefuls offer ideas

Nine candidates are
running for three seats on the Salem Board of
Education.

SALEM — The Salem Board of Education has taken some twists and turns in recent years.

Since 2004, school Treasurer Ted Cougras was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing from the district, and one board member claimed she was slapped by another. One superintendent left and another was hired who, before leaving, oversaw personnel cuts and building consolidations and helped pass a levy — only to have to make more cuts because of outstanding insurance bills.

The terms of Elizabeth Thatcher, the current board president, and members Marguerite Miller and Sean Hart are up. Hart is not seeking another term.

Nine candidates are running for four-year terms in the nonpartisan contest. They are: Jon P. Arnold, 36181 Shining Tree Lane; Nick Bush, 130 S. Broadway Ave.; Stephen J. Bailey, 2245 Shamrock Arbor; Carl Bryan, 325 W. 10th St.; Elizabeth Cadile, 583 W. Pershing St.; Marguerite Miller, 1740 Pearce Circle; Brad A. Myers, 2080 Countryside Drive; Elizabeth Thatcher, 365 S. Lincoln Ave.; and Karen Yoho, 1599 state Route 344.

Five of the candidates responded to the Vindicator’s request for information on which this article is based. They are Arnold, Bailey, Miller, Myers and Yoho.

The five candidates all said they wanted improve the district.

Miller said she is seeking re-election “to continue efforts to move this district to a state rating of ‘Excellence.’ I want to provide the best learning opportunities for Salem students at affordable cost to the taxpayers of the district.”

Miller, who is retired, has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in reading specialization.

She said the district has to offer courses that will attract students and maintain their interest, regain financial stability by living within its budget, and work to get the state to pay for state-mandated programs.

Jon Arnold has a master of business administration degree in human Resource Management and is a registered securities and investment dealer. He’s run J. Arnold & Associates Inc. since March 1, 2006.

Arnold said he wants: “To improve our school system’s budgetary problems so when [he and his wife] have children, they will have the same programs available as most schools, and to improve our community.”

Arnold said the district’s cuts caused schools to lose music and art programs in the elementary schools and French programs and others in the high school. He wants to address busing efficiency, and subsidizing health care cost to direct money to benefit the students.

Steven Bailey has a bachelor’s of science in business administration and is a financial consultant.

Bailey said, “I feel that I can bring some new ideas and financial experience to our school system. I also have a vested interest in our schools improvement due to owning a home, owning a business, having three kids that will attend our schools, and wanting to see our city grow.”

Bailey saw the major issues as cooperation among board members, financial stability, academic excellence and improved enrollment. He also wants to create a long-term plan for financial stability.

Brad Myers has a bachelor of science degree and is the president and founder of Myers & Associates, which deals with risk management and security. He, too, seeks a return to excellence.

“I don’t think we are headed in the right direction and the only way to change our direction is to make a change in our leadership starting with our school board,” he said.

Myers added: “The upcoming election is the most important election we have seen in years. The new school board will hire another superintendent that will have the monumental task of getting our school system back on track and headed in the right direction.”

Karen Yoho, 1599 state Route 344, has been an administrative assistant since 2000 at Howells and Baird Inc., an engineering firm in Salem.

She said that she and her family moved to Salem 21 years ago because of the school district’s good reputation.

Yoho said: “As a school board member, I will fight to make the tough decisions necessary to get this district back on track. As a community, we need to start working together to raise all the children in Salem with quality education.”

Yoho also wants a top rating for the schools.

“For the last couple of years, Salem School District has had a problem with finances and a lack of communication. There is no cooperation because everyone has had to fight for their own agendas and haven’t been able to focus on what is important. We need to stand together as a community to strengthen our students, teachers, support staff and parents,” she said.