In the Liverpool Central School District, five candidates are running for four seats. The election will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.
Crystal Baker
Biographical information:
My name is Crystal Baker. My husband and I have been Liverpool residents for the past 20 years. Our son is currently enrolled in the Liverpool district and is in seventh grade. In my free time, I
enjoy boating with my family, playing the flute, reading and utilizing my American Sign Language skills.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from SUNY Oswego. I have been employed with Transitional Living Services (TLS) for the past 15 years. Currently, my position is employee development specialist. I assist employees with obtaining both required training and continued education through professional development. Prior to this position, also at TLS, I supervised a team that provided individualized daily living support to adults with developmental disabilities, individuals with a dual diagnosis of mental health issues and developmental disabilities and individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for a seat on the board of education because, like other parents, I want the best education for our children. I can represent families who have children enrolled in the district and also the tax payers of the Liverpool district.
As a member of the board, I would like to take part in the planning and decision making that will impact the future of our children’s education, their teachers, our schools and our community.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I am the best candidate for this office because I know that I will advocate not only for our children and teachers, but for the tax payers of this district. I have leadership and communication skills that will allow me to collaborate and work side by side with other members of the board, while at that same time listening to members of our community.
The years I have dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities has led me to have a strong passion for advocacy and the continued training and education to those who provide these supports. It has also allowed me to utilize my strengths of leadership, creativity, open mindedness and patience. I believe that these qualities will allow me to be a confident and compassionate member of the board of education.
What are the major issues facing the district, and what will you do to address them?
I see that the district will need to continue working on budgetary solutions over the upcoming years. I also believe that continued conversations and planning with regards to redistricting, building usage and the overall systematic structure of our district will also need to be done. From personal and professional experience, I have concerns with how our children, of all abilities, are being educated and the struggles their teachers and these students may face on a daily basis.
My plan is to be the best board member that I am able to be by addressing any issues that the district may face. I will do this by learning all that I can so I am fully informed and able to make educated decisions.
Stacey Balduf
Biographical information:
I am a 1980 graduate of Liverpool High School and a graduate of Syracuse University’s College of Law. I specialize in divorce and family law, am a trained mediator, an Attorney for Children in the NYS Appellate Division and have located my law office in Liverpool.
Previously I was a member of the board of the Episcopal Dioceses of CNY and am currently a member of the Dioceses Standing Committee. I have also been the education director of St.Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Liverpool and now sing in their choir.
I am married to William Balduf, a local attorney. We have five children, two sons-in-law and several dogs. Jaime and her husband live in Rochester. Billy is a fourth-grader at Willow Field Elementary. Kelley is a freshman at the LHS Annex. Kirsten and Jason own a home in Irongate, and my daughter Mary will attend SUNY Oswego this fall.
Why are you running for office?
My love of the Liverpool school district began as a student and continues to this day with my children attending Liverpool schools. I have been blessed with a great family, wonderful friends and a career about which I am still passionate after more than 27 years. Working for this district as a member of the board of education is my way of giving back to a district that gave so much to me and my children. I hope to be re-elected so that I can continue to make positive contributions to the students and families of Liverpool.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I have four years of experience as a Liverpool board member. I am proficient in the tax cap laws and state regulations, as well as with other significant issues that affect our community, district residents, students and staff. I am a dedicated lifelong learner and have attended more training sessions and conferences than other board members earning the Board Mastery Award from the New York State School Boards Association. I work diligently to better understand and address our educational issues in this difficult financial climate, and am well aware of the academic and financial needs of our district.
I have a flexible work schedule. It allows me to commit 20-plus hours to board work each week, at a time when being actively involved in our community is more important than ever. I strive to bring important conversations to the table and make thorough, thoughtful, informed decisions for our district.
My passion for this district began as a child, continued through college, and remains to this day which is why I work and raise my children in this district. If reelected, I will continue to be passionate, dedicated and committed to our students and will do everything in my power to listen to your concerns and represent your priorities.
What are the major issues facing the district, and what will you do to address them?
There are obvious financial issues that every district in New York state is having in this economic climate. I devote a great deal of my time to learning as much as possible about the complex financial issues we are facing, so that I can be part of the solution.
I find creative ways to offer academic opportunities to our students and staff and have a positive working relationship with our superintendent and fellow board members. I have been active in state politics for years and continue to advocate for our district with local and state legislators.
Our students are becoming more and more diverse each year; working to provide the resources that will meet the needs of all students is my top priority. One of my children has a special education designation, another is gifted and yet another is a “typical” student. With my own children having such diverse needs I fully understand the importance of advocating for all kinds of students.
For me being an active part of the district is critical. Liverpool is a large district; we have many opportunities for our students and some challenges, too. Most recently the board and I have successfully presented a project that will renovate the Chestnut complex and other district schools. I became involved in redistricting so that more children could attend schools closer to their homes. I have been part of a group that hired a new superintendent who has a passion for students and exceptional dedication to this district.
As a board member I believe I have been a careful observer, a critical thinker, and successful steward of district’s resources. I have firsthand experience of which opportunities exist in our district. I frequently visit different school buildings and attend events at all grade levels. This has helped me be a thoughtful, effective board member who makes informed and effective decisions on your behalf.
I hope you will support my reelection on May 20 and allow me to continue to serve as your board member for another term…it is truly and honor and a privilege.
Neil Fitzpatrick
Biographical information:
I’m 47 years old, and my wife Lisa and I have lived in Liverpool for more than 20 years. We have two daughters, Kelly and Megan. Kelly is a 2013 graduate of LHS and just finished her freshman year at Niagara University. Megan is a freshman at the LHS annex.
I’m a registered Republican, but vote independently. On the local level especially, I don’t believe party affiliation to be very significant.
While my wife is a life-long resident of Liverpool, I’m originally from the west side of Syracuse. I grew up in Westvale, attending Westhill schools until eighth grade. Beginning at eighth grade and through high school, I attended CBA in Dewitt.
I’ve worked for State Farm Insurance in auto claims for 25 years, in management for the past 16 years. I currently supervise a team of appraisers handling vehicle damage claims in the greater CNY area, but have also managed a multi-state team of trainers as we evaluated current processes, measured results and worked to improve efficiency and accuracy. I’ve led projects charged with various goals, from lean process to technical training. My responsibilities also include elements of budgeting, planning, employee evaluation, etc. as well as auto damage claim oversight and decision making in a tightly regulated industry.
Why are you running for office?
I’ve followed and been interested in Liverpool schools for many years and considered a run for the BOE many years ago. As my children are now a bit older, a small amount of additional time has started to open up and I think it could be a great opportunity to join my interest in my community with some experience and skills I feel I can offer. Last year I responded to a call for community involvement on the LCSD’s Facilities Advisory Committee. I thought that would be a great opportunity to become more involved while evaluating whether I thought I could be an effective contributor as a member of the board. The work of our schools is rewarding and so important.
Academically, as parents, we have found that Liverpool has provided great academic offerings and support. Both of our children have also been active in Liverpool schools beyond academics; both have or are playing sports from the modified through varsity level, both have several years of participation in the music programs, etc. Their activities in conjunction with our active participation as parents in school and booster activities have provided me a great appreciation for all LCSD has to offer to prepare our youth for life after high school, whether in college, work or service.
Schools are vitally important to the larger community and impact quality of life. Schools are also expensive and impact cost of living, community affordability, property values, etc. Achieving that proper balance between needs of the students and needs of the taxpayers is growing increasing difficult to achieve. There’s a lot of truth to the old saying that decisions are made by those who show up — and I’m interested in being involved in the discussion, planning and decisions.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I’m not biting on that! I’ll leave it to the voters to decide who the best candidates are.
I will simply say that I have some experience in analytical thinking and business. In an age when issues are growing in complexity, decisions made in the court of public opinion seem to being made on less and less information. It’s important to have people on the BOE who ask questions, think long term and consider potential consequences to decisions. I tend to listen, read and consider before speaking. I want to hear and consider opposing viewpoints.
What are the major issues facing the district, and what will you do to address them?
Major issues facing Liverpool are not too dissimilar to those facing most districts in the state today. We all want great schools that have long term financial viability. Easy to say, challenging to achieve.
We want quality schools with a wide breadth of offerings academically and vocationally that will challenge and prepare our students for their future. And to the greatest extent reasonable, we want to prepare the whole person — which is where the importance of offerings in the arts, athletics, activities and clubs comes into play. As a board member, I would advocate for maintaining this level of offerings in Liverpool.
Of no less importance is the long term financial viability of our school district. My top concern the impact the Gap Elimination Adjustment has had, and continues to have on our district. I’m not sure how many residents are aware of how much money has been taken away from Liverpool over the past five years — it’s now over $40M in lost funding that the current BOE has had to deal with. This comes at a tremendous expense to programs, decreases in the district’s fund balance and increases in the local share. I would encourage more residents to read into the recent trends coming from Albany which result in rhetoric that may sound good in statewide campaigns but really just increases local burdens while decreasing funding. As a board member, I would simply move forward with a cautious approach on funding issues. We have significant costs already committed to looming in our future. A long term outlook with realistic predictions about the local and state economy is what I would offer. Having said that, I certainly don’t want to make any claims of specialized expertise — if elected, I would be a first-time BOE member with many questions and much to learn. But I do have an appreciation that different segments of government may claim their own little victories — but to the local taxpayer, it doesn’t matter if the state saved me a dime if my local governments have to charge me 15 cents to keep up with the state’s demands (unfunded/underfunded mandates).
Managing growth, in many ways, is easier than managing contraction. We all have to understand that while we want to maintain and even improve how our schools are educating our youth, many areas of our state and locality are in contraction, and that creates challenges for us. It doesn’t mean we abandon our commitment to great schools, but does mean we have think differently about costs than we did generations ago.
Lastly, I’ve recently had the opportunity to talk with many residents who know I’m running for the BOE — great thoughts, discussions, some frustrations — but overall much appreciation for what a great job Liverpool schools are doing recently but concerns about the future. As I’ve gotten to know and learn about the current BOE and Mr. Potter I appreciate the current leadership and direction Liverpool currently has. I don’t promise to be a revolutionary, but hope to contribute to some of the great results Liverpool schools have had while being a cautious steward of the public’s money.
James Root
Biographical information
My name is James Michael Root, and I would like to introduce myself to the residents of the Liverpool Central School District. I was born and raised in Mattydale. I have been a Liverpool resident for the past 42 years. I have served on the LCSD Board of Education for three years. Most of my formal education has been from local academic institutions: St. Margaretʼs School, Christian Brothers Academy, LeMoyne College and Syracuse University.
For 39 years, I was a faculty member of Elmcrest Elementary School in the LCSD. My specialty was primary education. During my tenure of being a public school teacher, I had the privilege of instructing students at the kindergarten, first and second grade levels.
My wife, Christine, was a teaching assistant for 24 years in the Liverpool Central School District. My son, Ryan, is currently a sixth grade teacher in the North Syracuse school district. My daughter, Kara, is a special education teacher who is raising three young children. Both of them are graduates of the LCSD. As you can see, public education is highly valued by my family.
Being an active member of the Liverpool community is very important to me. In the past, I have been a coach and a board member of the Seneca River South Little League, as well as president of the Liverpool Boysʼ Lacrosse Booster Club. I have also refereed Liverpool Optimist basketball games and was the voice of the Liverpool Warriors for many years. While teaching at Elmcrest, my wife and I were co-presidents of the parent teacher organization. At Pope John the XXIIIʼs Parish on Soule Road, I was the head of the Parish Council, where I led the decision making process to bring together diverse communities. I also implemented the Junior Good Days Summer Day Camp for children ages 4 through 8 with a cancer connection in Syracuse and currently serve on the board of directors.
Why are you running for office?
I care a great deal about the total education of all the students in our school district. Board membership has allowed me to have a better understanding of the whole process and to be a part of the decisions that make it the best that we possibly can during these times. My past three years on it has taught me so much and my retired schedule has allowed me to be very visible and present at many buildings, events and activities.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
My involvement with the district as an employee, parent and volunteer for so many years has given me a great experience background to pull from for insight and decision making. My listening skills and open-mindedness allow me to listen to all sides of an issue and to use that as my primary beacon in making wise decisions.
What are the major issues facing the district, and what will you do to address them?
Our biggest challenges are still and will be for some time financial ones. We are constantly being asked to keep our quality up but being asked to do it with less resources. I see the main problem stemming the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) imposed by New York state that has hurt Liverpool in a very negative manner by loss of funding. I have become an outspoken critic and am doing all that I can to eliminate it now.
Another big challenge is helping all the human components of the LCSD to understand that the financial times have changed and to be open to making the difficult and generous choices that will help the district to stay at its current high level. I will do this by constant and open dialogue and to be financially responsible with the district’s purse. Taxpayers and employees are of equal importance to me. My empathetic personality will be a great resource in this process.
We will be constantly asked to assess what is working to educate and prepare all our students for their future careers and lives. What needs to be different to make it better and current? This might require changes in use of facilities, programs, staff or resources. I will continue to learn and listen to what our community and all the experts think will help to make this happen. I don’t believe in change just for change, but rather to improve and move forward; positive growth is my primary goal.
Kevin VanNess
Biographical information
My name is Kevin Van Ness (54), and my wife Rebecca and I have lived in Liverpool for 23 years. We have four adult children, all graduates of the LCSD. I am employed with the NYS ACCES-VR office (adult vocational rehabilitation program) as an administrator. We are members of Pope John
XXII Roman Catholic Church, where I have been a member of the adult chorus. For many years I was a volunteer basketball coach with the Liverpool Optimists and the North Area YMCA. We enjoy traveling and are currently settling into our second home in Clay.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for my second term and believe there is much work yet to be completed that, over the course of the next three years, I would like to have an influence upon. Specifically, I would like to be involved in overseeing the development of a 21st century academic/career readiness program that prepares our young people for future careers; foster a non-threatening environment for the development and roll-out of a meaningful teacher evaluation system; and, where it make sense, encourage our district to consider the consolidation of certain administrative/support services.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
My three years of experience on the board will serve me well moving forward. I now understand my role and, just as importantly, the role of other board members and key administrators. I am a non-educator and bring a perspective to decision making that is in no way influenced by educators or biased towards classroom education. Every board needs a balance that offers varying perspectives. Furthermore, I am level-headed, analytical, and feel I am adept at active listening (all traits necessary when working on a nine-member board).
What are the major issues facing the district, and what will you do to address them?
In no particular order:
Providing support/guidance to our new superintendent.
Reshaping academic programming to provide enhanced opportunities for project based/hands-on learning; learning outside of the traditional classroom setting; and, fostering the idea of career exploration at the elementary level.
Provide resources for ancillary services within the school buildings to ensure all children have an opportunity to learn in a non-disruptive environment and have adequate nutrition to focus on learning.
Commitment to continued enhancement of our facilities with an eye towards 21st century learning environments.
Continued push back against the Albany political establishment that has severely and negatively impacted our ability to provide outstanding programming through the gap elimination initiative. Reduce the increasing burden placed on our local tax base to make up for these structural deficits.
Legacy costs for employees.
I will address these issues through my voice and votes at the board table.
