Three members of the Board of Education of the Smithtown Central School District are up for re-election May 17, including Neil Carlin, Gladys Waldron and President Robert Rossi.
Rossi, who is currently in his sixth year as Board of Education president, will face opposition from Grace Plourde, a Nesconset resident of more than 10 years with two children in Branch Brook Elementary, who also serves as a PTA Council Delegate the school.
Plourde said if elected one issue she plans to tackle is the possible closing of an elementary school building and see if a closing is the right move for the district to make.
“I think any member of our community with a child who is currently n school is looking at the issue of a school closure and the potential for the disruption of some of our children depending on what happens,” she said. “When you consider something like this you want to make sure that number one, you have defined the problem that we are intending to address … [and] you want to make sure that the solution that you choose addresses that problem without creating additional problems.”
Rossi could not be reached by time of publication.
Carlin, who is in his third year on the board and his first turn at re-election, is running opposed by Joanne McEnroy, a Saint James resident and former Smithtown Central School District teacher of roughly 37 years who retired in 2010.
McEnroy said if elected she will help the board provide more transparency to its operations and be an advocate for community involvement in decision making.
“I want to be a member of the Board of Education to guarantee that there is transparency and quite honestly, honesty, and that decisions are made with the input from the community because we’re facing very difficult times … I’d like there to be community involvement in that,” she said.
Carlin, the father of an East graduate and two children currently attending East, said he brings fiscal and budgetary management leadership to the board and is prepared and capable to make tough budgetary decisions.
“I’m a concerned citizen, I’m a resident of the district and I do believe that given the state aid situation some difficult decisions will have to be made,” he said. “I’m familiar with the budget and the budgeting process and I feel it’s going to be a very difficult job but I feel qualified to do it.”
Waldron, who has served on the board for 33 years, is running unopposed.
Stick with Smithtown Patch all next week, as we will feature profiles from all five candidates.
