Editor:
Dave Uphoff
Last week's editorial stated that Minonk could possibly elect only one candidate for the Fieldcrest School Board due to the large number of candidates. This would result in unequal representation of the communities based on population with the Minonk Dana Rutland area having only 25% representation on the school board but representing over 50% of the population.Currently, candidates are elected at large which means there are no restrictions on how many school board members can be elected from each community. Over time this can result in an unequal representation of communities on the Fieldcrest school board. The only way to avoid this unequal representation is to determine the number of board members to be elected from each community based on population. The boundaries for each population base should be based on the former school districts that consolidated into the Fieldcrest district. That means there should be a set number of board members for Toluca, Wenona, and the former MDR district which represents Minonk, Dana, and Rutland. Our representation in the state and federal House of Representatives is based on population, why not our school districts? It will ensure that each community will be represented. It also eliminates the possibility of unequal representation due to the number of candidates willing to run from each community.
If the number of board members were based on demographics, I would not have been put in the undignified position of suggesting that four of Minonk's candidates withdraw from the race to allow the remaining four a better chance of being elected. I received letters from Fieldcrest School Board candidates taking me to task for suggesting that attending school board meetings was a valid test for determining the qualifications of a candidate. In retrospect, I should not have mentioned any preference in candidates. Already, two candidates have replied to this web site stating their positions on the issues. I urge the other candidates to also make their positions known on this web site in order to give the voters a basis for making their selection of a candidate. I will not announce my preferences for candidates. Rather, I hope that there will be a public dialog on this web site that will enable the voters to make that decision.
|
This past week Judy and I have been in Phoenix attending the second annual reunion of MDR graduates. Therefore, I was not in Minonk to announce that Fieldcrest West won 2nd place in the Seventh Grade Class A State tournament. I extend my congratulations to the players and the coach at Fieldcrest West for their successful season and for bringing a ray of sunshine to
the Fieldcrest community which has been beset with bad financial news for the past few years. Fieldcrest East also had a successful season. I wonder how much better Fieldcrest West might have been if they were combined with Fieldcrest East? If pre-eminence in sports is to be a goal in our school system, the consolidation of the middle schools at East and West would serve this goal. Playing together from the 5th Grade on should result in better harmony and teamwork among the players rather than waiting until high school to develop those attributes. The Fieldcrest School Board announced last week the hiring of Randall Vincent as the new superintendent to replace Dr. Michael Stagliano. I have not met or talked with Mr. Vincent. However, I have heard positive comments about him from private sources who have worked with him in the past. Mr. Vincent currently resides in El Paso and is not required to live in the Fieldcrest school district. I was told that it was necessary to remove the resident requirement in order to attract more qualified candidates. I think this is a mistake. The school superintendent is usually considered to be one of the more prominent and important persons in the community. It is important that he be involved in the community on a personal basis. I hope that he understands the importance of his presense in this community. I welcome Mr. Vincent to the Fieldcrest community and wish him success in his endeavor to lead Fieldcrest back to fiscal health.
|
To reply to this editorial please send your comments to
Your letter will be published in the email section. Viewers
are welcome to submit a guest editorial.
|
|