More than 50 Cazenovia Central School District residents came out to the high school Wednesday night to meet and hear the issue positions of the four candidates seeking seats on the school board in the upcoming May 19 election.
The four candidates — Jennifer Bradstreet, David Mehlbaum, Louis Orbach and Jennifer Parmalee — all participated in the forum, which was sponsored by the Cazenovia League of Women Voters and moderated by Anne Redfern.
The candidates all were given five minutes to introduce themselves to the audience, then spent one hour answering audience questions seeking the candidates’ views on issues such as the job of the school board, Common Core, the district’s religious release time policy, students opting out of state tests, local enrollment challenges and appropriate elementary school class sizes.
In general, the candidates agreed more than disagreed on the issues discussed, with all four saying that the district’s religious release time policy needs further discussion, but should also ensure that students who do not attend release time have sufficient learning experiences back in the classroom; that opting out of tests is a students’ right; and that fighting declining enrollment can be done by continuing the high achievements of the school district and helping to sell the community as a great place to live.
The candidates and their views on the role of the school board, in forum order, were:
Lou Orbach
Orbach, a Syracuse attorney who has lived in Cazenovia for 17 years and has one child currently in the district, said he is a product of public education, which “left me with a profound respect for the importance of public education and public service.” The biggest issues he sees on the horizon for the school district are dealing with state funding, declining enrollment and budget issues.
He said he believes the role of the board of education is to “guarantee every child has available a first-class education and to do so in a fiscally responsible way.”
He said he offers commitment to handle the issues on the board “thoughtfully” while always listening to and learning from different viewpoints.
Dave Mehlbaum
Mehlbaum, a commercial construction project manager with four children in the district, said the most important issue facing Cazenovia is the budget, and the reduction in state education aid that has been “crippling to our district.”
He said the role of the board has three components: to hire and evaluate the superintendent, to review and adhere to district policies and to create the district budget. The budget, he said, “trumps all others” because “it goes to the educational experience of all our students.”
Mehlbaum said he is a compassionate team player who believes in building consensus and in fiscal responsibility.
“There’s no question in my mind that we have a very strong school district,” he said. “But we can’t be complacent.”
Jennifer Bradstreet
Bradstreet, a Cazenovia district resident for more than 30 years with agricultural degrees in large animal sciences, said she was encouraged to run for the board by a board member as well as by local residents. She said that while she admits she has a lot to learn about how the board of education functions, she is a “quick learner” and has “dogged perseverance” in her work ethic and her commitment to the Cazenovia students and community.
To Bradstreet, a major role of the board is to create an annual budget, and also to assure the staff and teachers that everyone in the district “shares the same goals to thrive through education.”
She said her emphasis is on the accountability of the parents in our community, as well as the students, to maintain the high standards of the Cazenovia district.
Jennifer Parmalee
Parmalee, the director of School Based Initiatives with the Onondaga County Department of Children and Family Services with two children in the district, said she is “very passionate” about and has vast experience in education. She currently oversees an $8 million budget and staff of over 200 people in her job.
She said she is very proud of the Cazenovia district but “would like us to push ourselves to be even greater than we are. We’re great, let’s be extraordinary.” She said it is important for the board to have long-range plans, to have an open dialogue about issues and to “dig in deep” on issues and build consensus.
Parmalee said the main role of the board is to support the superintendent and the work he does with his staff, to develop policy, maximize every dollar spent and “establish a long-range vision and support it.”
She said her years of experience in the education field has taught her that it is important to “dig in deep,” understand the issues and “put all assumptions on the table at the start.” She said she is known for bringing people together and finding consensus.
After the forum ended, attendees milled around the high school’s large group instruction room for at least 30 minutes talking to the candidates and to each other about the event and the issues facing the district.
“I think it bodes well [for the election] that this was so well attended,” said Karin Marris, who is retiring her seat on the school board after serving 12 years. “I’m very excited that so many people have continued the conversation after it ended. I think Cazenovia is very lucky to have four very intelligent and well-intentioned candidates.”
Superintendent Matt Reilly agreed. “This was a great night for the district, the level of interest is clearly seen in the number of people who attended and the quality of questions and answers,” he said. “It certainly bodes well for the future of Cazenovia.”
Of the four candidates on the May 19 election ballot, the three highest vote-getters will be elected to the board. Each will serve a three-year term, beginning July 1.
They are seeking to fill three seats left vacant by retiring board members Pat Vogl, Karin Marris and Cindy Bell Tobey.
The school board election, as well as the vote to approve the 2015-16 school district budget, is scheduled to occur from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 19.
The board of education will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. that same night in the board meeting room, then adjourn to the high school auxiliary gym at 9 p.m. to certify the election results.
For profiles of each school board candidate, be sure to check out this week’s issue of the Cazenovia Republican.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
