BROSELEY — An audit of the Twin Rivers R-X school district in December highlighted strained finances, with more than $850,000 in deficit spending, and that has become the primary concern for those running for the school board in the June 2 election.
The board also has been in talks about the potential of moving to a four-day school week, though each candidate has not made a decision on the proposal.
Five people are running for three open positions on the board, including one incumbent, two former members and two newcomers, and they are listed in the order in which they appear on the ballot.
Former board member Jeff Arnold is running for the Twin Rivers School Board because, he said, he is “a dedicated parent and community member, and I enjoy doing things to help my community.”
If the school is open for some activity, Arnold said, he is “almost always there.”
The biggest need Arnold sees in the district is to correct the current financial woes.
“We are going to need to start looking at where we can cut costs without sacrificing education,” he said.
On another note, the school board, Arnold said, recently “tabled a decision on whether or not to try a four-day school week.
“I applaud their decision to do more research on the matter and not just come to a snap decision either way.”
His prior experience on the board, along with his knowledge of the schools, Arnold said, make him the best candidate for one of the three open positions on the board.
“I was on the board before and know how the budget works and some adjustments we could make to save some money,” Arnold stressed. “My children attend at Fisk and Broseley, and I’m at the school quite a bit, so I have a working relationship with many of the teachers and staff. I’ve also been a union shop steward for over 10 years for the Local 148 Operating Engineers, so I have extensive knowledge of union contracts and have been involved in many union negotiations.”
Incumbent board president Billy Watson feels he needs to “give it one more term” because, as he said, the district “has many challenges and changes coming that we’re going to need to get in front of.”
His experience on the board, Watson said, also sets him apart.
“I feel with my background and board experience, and my business experience, along with being open-minded, I feel I can be helpful to the district in moving the needle in the right direction,” he said.
School funding is the biggest issue the Twin River district currently faces, Watson said.
“School finances are a hot button right now. That’s one of our challenges,” he said. “Sometimes school funding is up or down, and when it’s down, you just have to alter the way you do business.”
Watson added that he feels the district has “a great staff, and they do a good job ... we’re just faced with many challenges.”
As far as the four-day school week being considered, Watson remains on the fence.
“At this moment, I’m not for or against them. I see positives and negatives, and I think we need more information at this time,” he said.
His experience on the board, and in business, Watson believes, sets him apart in the race.
“To be honest, it takes a little while to get your feet wet and your saddle adjusted,” he said of the board position. “I think I’m seasoned enough to know how it operates currently and to understand some of the moves we need to make.”
Newcomer Bobby King is seeking a spot on the board because he wants to help fix the financial woes.
“Our district is in a little bit of trouble and I would like to see if we can get that straightened out,” he said. “It’s a good school district, but we have to take steps to improve our financial situation.”
Many buildings in the district, King believes, “are in disrepair, but as of right now, we don’t have the money to mess with them.”
The situation, he said, puts the school district “between a rock and a hard place. I’d like to get the money in order, because you can’t do anything if you don’t have money.”
Other than the financial situation, however, King believes the district is in “pretty good shape.”
In talking about the proposed four-day school week, King remains undecided.
“We have to find out what the people want, because it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution,” he emphasized.
King believes he’s the best candidate for a board position because he has “no agenda. I’ll put the kids first.”
Something which sets him apart, he said, is that he looks “at everything from an objective standpoint. I don’t have any kids that play varsity sports and don’t have any family members that work for the school district ... I’m completely unaffiliated other than my kids go there.”
Former board member Karen Buttrey, who served two terms on the board until early 2007, seeks another chance because she “saw the DAR report about the school being $856,000 in the red and I didn’t realize there was that kind of problem going on,” she said.
Buttrey said it “pulls at my heart what’s going on in the school district,” and she wants it to be successful.
“I have grandchildren in the district. I live in the district ... I want the schools to be a success, and I hope I can help,” she said.
Buttrey said she sees needs “everywhere you want to look.
“No. 1 is our children need the best education we can give them. That’s the most important thing, to get the test scores up for our children to see if they can succeed more academically.”
Buttrey also remains undecided on the four-day school week proposal.
“I haven’t made a decision on whether I’m pro or against,” she said. “It’s a big deal for the children and the entire district, and I would like to hear from more parents and see what their thoughts are on going to a four-day week.”
Buttrey feels she’s the best candidate for the job because of her experience, both on the board and in business.
“I think experience would be a good thing for voters to look at, along with business background, when the district has been running in the red,” she noted.
“I have a level head and I care for the district,” she said. “I’ve been farming for 42 years and have been actively involved in not only the farming aspect, but also the bookkeeping end of it.”
The school district, she said, “is a business, and if it can’t be run successfully, the children will suffer.”
Newcomer Joshua Johnson is seeking a spot on the board after several people asked him to run.
“I have kids in the district and I think I can help,” he said.
Johnson said he believes “the people doing it now are doing a good job” at running the schools, but “there are a couple not running again that need good replacements.
Johnson also said he has no specific agenda in seeking a term on the board.
He feels he’s a good fit on the board because he’s “an honest person,” and “from a business standpoint, I think I can be helpful.”
On the topic of the four-day school week, Johnson said, he would like to “really get into that stuff and know what’s going on before I make a decision.”