Candidates Forum, April 11

CANDIDATES FORUM, April 11

Mark Conforti

Montgomery Board of Education
   
I am running for a seat on the Montgomery Township school board and I ask for your support. I believe the role of the school board is to provide the guidance and wisdom that allows our superintendent and educators to create an environment that fosters active, creative learning.
   The vote on April 18 represents a critical point for our schools. We need to elect three new board members who can join in choosing a new superintendent, crafting a new teachers’ contract, and making other policy decisions that will continue the excellence in education that Montgomery has enjoyed for many years. The new board members need to bring relevant experience to the table, but must also be able to work collaboratively with other board members. With the township vote on April 18, we also need to pass the proposed school budget that addresses excessive class sizes in each of our schools while only modestly increasing property taxes. A positive vote on the budget will send an important message to the best candidates for superintendent that our township is committed to quality education and responsible budgets.
   I have reviewed this year’s budget in detail and listened to the debate. The proposed budget accomplishes many important goals in addition to addressing class sizes, including funding to support education for special needs students, meeting higher fuel and utility costs, and improving the transportation system. Additional state funds for the district that were announced close to the end of the budget planning process were responsibly put toward property tax relief.
   I believe my background and experience will make positive contributions to the school board. My career has been spent as a financial analyst, working for 19 years at Credit Suisse. Among other responsibilities, I was global director of budgets for the firm’s equity division. My reputation has been built as a manager who is willing to listen to all opinions and review all options to build consensus-generated decisions.
   The success of any organization requires more than the intelligence and experience of its members. Ultimate success will be achieved only if those members are willing to work together to use their various points of view to create truly collaborative decisions. A school board must also extend its collaboration to the public, so that they can lend their voices to the process. Montgomery has no shortage of bright, successful citizens who are willing to provide their input. Involving them is the last key ingredient to success.
   I believe I have the financial background to lend strength to the various budget debates. Most importantly, I have the desire to work with all members of the board to reach decisions and to craft a long-term, strategic plan for quality education in the township. Success ultimately means providing the best possible educational experience so that our children are prepared for the highly competitive environment outside of Montgomery. Our children deserve and should expect nothing less.
Wayne George Fox

Montgomery Board of Education
   
We have a responsibility Tuesday, April 18 to vote "YES" in support of the school budget. I need your support, too. I have represented you as a member of the Montgomery Township school board for the past year. It is important for you to have the facts about me before you vote.
   First, we need to make our schools an "open book" where we share information openly and easily, where our discussions are factual, frank, and friendly, and where we all work together as a team for the best interests of our children as they grow and learn in our "Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence."
   In my first months on the board, I insisted that we not take board actions after the board’s executive session after the public had gone home. I suggested making all board reports available on the district Web site, so that you can download them. We need to talk to each other respectfully, and so, eliminate an arbitrary "five-minute" time limit by, perhaps, keeping the discussion to a single topic at a time.
   Second, the most important issue in this election is maintaining a board of diverse and independent views that look at all sides of the issues and then finds consensus in fulfilling the board’s responsibilities to the students, community and staff.
   We have big challenges: (1) hiring a new superintendent, (2) transportation and increased energy costs, (3) negotiating two significant staff contracts, (4) settling our MHS construction project and litigation, and (5) increasing open discussion to provide transparency to everyone. I have been an independent voice on the board.
   Third, I have the knowledge and experience to meet these challenges by working with others. With a Wharton MBA and a law degree, I have 30 years of business experience as an investment banker, senior executive, and corporate board member.
   Fourth, we need to recognize that the most important asset in our school district walks in the door every morning. The people who teach and care for our children must know that we support them. Perhaps we could do more for our students by joining together as alumni teams in helping to spread our Montgomery story to colleges and universities.
   I have worked hard this year on your behalf, actively serving on the Finance and Budget Committee, for greater oversight, and on the Negotiating Committee, now engaged in two contract settlements. Is it wise to fill all three open seats with people who have not been directly involved with the board’s discussion of the issues for the last year?
   You will not see signs with my name because I don’t believe people should vote based on just seeing a name on a sign. We should enjoy spring flowers, not political signs. You can see my issues at my Web site, www.cyberdensity.com. I believe that independent judgment on the merits of the issue should decide choices fairly. It is a privilege to serve you. I ask for your support in choosing fairly.