A Times Editorial

Candidates reply

The Times offers candidates not recommended by its editorial board an opportunity to reply. Here are three of those replies.

© St. Petersburg Times
published September 4, 2002

Alan Minthorn

Hernando County School Board

District 5

Thank you for recognizing my platform emphasizing curriculum, discipline and financial responsibility. I may be mistaken, but that is the substance of good schools!

My opponent's record justifies your analogy. Station wagons haul lots of baggage, even eight years worth. Recent headlines identified test scores dropping, poor student behavior, and Pasco County declaring our teachers their future employees. Excusing her "plodding" first four years and 18 months of financial denial (a period seriously impacting elementary classrooms) as melancholy performance is remiss. Roof designs and book lists preoccupy her focus and all the while, the financial house of cards crumbles.

The sales tax referendum is conspicuously absent from the 2002 ballot. New schools in 2006? Very doubtful! My opponent's solution four years ago and again today is another empty promise to do better. On Sept. 10, voters should reject this status quo, business-as-usual approach to education!

Want a fresh face with hands-on experience from a high growth school district? Need creative solutions raising test scores and improving discipline without robbing Peter to pay Paul? I moved here Labor Day weekend 1996 and have been educationally active since 1998. My son attends Parrott Middle School, making me committed to succeed for all children.

Cast your vote putting children first, and elect someone with 22 years of academic knowledge and business training. My experience from classrooms to boardrooms can lead our schools out of the past and into the future using my "top-notch communication skills" and "determination" for all children.

Stephen E. Galaydick

Hernando County School Board

District 1

I would like to thank the public for their support of my candidacy for School Board District 1.

The input I have received from the public as a result of the Times' recent editorial highlighting my track record for achieving results above those of my opponents has been nothing short of positive. Qualities of experience, tenacity and responsibility, unmatched by any of my opponents, seem to resonate as a refreshing change for Hernando's voters.

My 10 years of service to the children and citizens as both a School Board and school advisory council member are matters of public record. I believe that our school system exists to educate our children and that should be our primary goal. My commitment and desire to serve our community and make a difference is once again evident as I run for office. No other candidate has put forward both a platform and a plan for improving education in our schools.

I believe that every dollar wasted is a dollar that could be spent on textbooks, classrooms or better salaries for teachers and support staff, and that our district's success is measured one child at a time.

My campaign platform:

(1) Provide a real living wage to teachers and support staff.

(2) Promote educational initiatives that help children excel.

(3) Put the School District's financial house back in order.

On Sept. 10 the choice is yours: Proven experience, achievements and innovative ideas that put children first -- or more excuses and broken promises.

It's our children's future? Whom will you choose?

Robert Wiggins

Hernando County School Board

District 1

I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to reply.

The candidate you recommend is a gentleman and a solid citizen. However, I respectfully disagree with your opinion of who would be most qualified for the District 1 School Board seat. I am running for re-election based on my record and the outstanding accomplishments of this School Board over the past four years. These accomplishments include saving Hernando County taxpayers more than $2.5-million by (1) hiring a firm to bill Medicaid for services we are required to provide, (2) streamlining our administrative staff, (3) refinancing bond issues, (4) closely scrutinizing property values and (5) combining our voice, data and video applications into one converged network. These actions will continue to save taxpayers more than $600,000 a year for years to come.

In the area of academics and discipline, this board has (1) implemented school uniforms in seven elementary schools and one middle school, (2) initiated a reading initiative which emphasizes phonics, (3) started an Advanced Placement Academy and (4) seen our students make good progress on the FCAT and nationally norm referenced tests.

These cost savings and academic accomplishments have resulted from the School Board and administrative team working together to find solutions. We, as voters, have a decision to make. Based on the School Board's achievements the last four years, I believe it is an easy decision. A vote for Robert Wiggins is a vote to keep Hernando County schools moving forward. Please vote for Robert Wiggins on Sept. 10. Thank you.

THE CANDIDATES

Stephen E. Galaydick

PERSONAL: Born Jan. 1, 1954, in Scranton, Pa. Moved to Hernando County in 1989. Has been married since 1981 to his wife, Tara, an executive secretary for the Hernando County Development Department. Son, Bradley, 16, is a junior at Central High School. Lives on Hunter's Lake in Spring Hill.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in journalism from William Paterson College, Wayne, N.J.

POLITICAL: Won election to the Hernando County School Board in 1994, defeating incumbent Bob Flato. Sought re-election in 1998 but lost in the Republican primary to Robert Wiggins, who holds the seat.

PROFESSIONAL: Since 2001 has worked for the Florida Lottery, coordinating accounts of retailers that sell lottery tickets in Polk and Hillsborough counties. Previously was national sales manager for Kinematics & Controls Corp. in Brooksville and a sales trainer for Discount Auto Parts.

HIGHLIGHTS OF GALAYDICK'S PLATFORM:

Providing a "living wage" for teachers and support personnel, setting the pay scale and benefits in September to provide 10 months to lobby the state Legislature for the financing the county needs.

Putting the "financial house back in order." Would require twice-yearly review of the budget as it matches up against the district's objectives, a running total for expenditures.

Make junior and senior years of high school look more like community college, both in terms of the intensity of classes and the way they are delivered.

Irvin Homer

PERSONAL: Born Feb. 8, 1924, in Trinidad, West Indies. Emigrated to New York in 1950. Moved to Hernando County in 1991. Has been married since 1953 to his wife, Mary, a retired dental assistant. Four children: Norman, 49, Valerie, 48, Michael, 43, and Kurt, 38. He lives in the Lake in the Woods subdivision in Spring Hill.

EDUCATION: Brooklyn College, City University of New York.

POLITICAL: Ran for Hernando County School Board in 1998, winning the Democratic primary but losing in the general election to Republican Robert Wiggins.

PROFESSIONAL: In the 1940s, worked as an instrument technician for the Esso Oil Co. in Aruba. Worked four years as a quality control inspector for an aviation company in Queens. Worked five years as an instrument technician in Brooklyn for Domino Sugar. Now retired after 30 years in the New York school district, where he was a principal, administrator, teacher and adult education coordinator.

HIGHLIGHTS OF HOMER'S PLATFORM:

Proposes a public relations program, with a staff person, to provide the public with accurate and positive information about schools.

A school/business partnership through an adopt-a-school program.

Requiring parents to volunteer time in the schools.

Teacher salary scale competitive with neighboring counties.

Teaching of foreign language in all primary grades.

Minimizing paperwork for teachers.

Reducing class sizes.

James L. 'Jim' Polk

PERSONAL: Born May 21, 1934, in Anderson, S.C. He moved to Hernando County in 1987. He is divorced. Has three children -- Kevin, 36, Kendall, 32, and Kimberly, 34 -- and lives on Horizon Drive in Spring Hill.

EDUCATION: University of South Carolina.

POLITICAL: Ran unsuccessfully for the South Carolina House of Representatives. This is his first try for office in Florida.

PROFESSIONAL: He is director of project management for Pasco County, a job with responsibilities in road construction. He is the former chief engineer of the Hernando County school district. Previously, he was an engineer with Nicholson Engineering Associates and Coastal Engineering Associates, both of Brooksville. He also served in the Army.

HIGHLIGHTS OF POLK'S PLATFORM:

Financial accountability of the administrative staff and the School Board itself.

Long-range facilities planning, including the early acquisition of property for future school sites.

Supports merit pay for teachers.

Wants students to master basics -- reading, writing and math -- before they are given the opportunity for other courses.

Opposes social promotion.

Robert Wiggins

PERSONAL: Born July 27, 1958, in Jacksonville. Married since 1991 to wife, Jennifer. He has two children -- Carly, 8, and Shane, 6 -- who attend Spring Hill Christian Academy. He lives in Oak Ridge Estates in Spring Hill.

EDUCATION: University of South Florida. University of Florida.

POLITICAL: Elected to the School Board in 1998 on his first try for public office.

PROFESSIONAL: He is the customer service manager of the Hernando County Utilities Department. Previously, he served as the department's finance manager. He served in the Navy and previously worked as an accounting clerk with a credit union.

HIGHLIGHTS OF WIGGINS' PLATFORM:

Positive attitude that creates solutions, not problems.

Intends to run on his record. Says that together -- during the past four years -- he, the School Board and the district have: initiated a new effort to bill Medicaid for services schools provide, generating $1.5-million in cost savings; streamlined the administration; combined voice, data and video lines into one network at a savings of $600,000 a year; and approved a new Advanced Placement Academy at Springstead High.

THE ISSUES

Sales tax

for school construction

GALAYDICK: Supports renewal of the tax. Must first correct mistakes already made with how current sales tax proceeds are being spent. Should ask for a vote in 2004.

HOMER: Supports asking voters to renew the half-cent tax in 2004.

POLK: District needs an elementary school and a middle school. Says sales tax renewal seems like a must. Has no opinion on whether to have the vote in 2003 or 2004.

WIGGINS: Supports asking voters to approve another half-cent sales tax in 2004.

Changing school start times

GALAYDICK: Undecided. Wants to review information gathered about changing times, as well as review the experiences of other counties.

HOMER: Does not support it. Parents oppose it because it upsets their work schedules. Leave times as they are.

POLK: Supports the concept. Reality is that buses now function at high efficiency because of staggered start times. Concerned about costs to accommodate start time changes. Would want to see ground swell of support.

WIGGINS: Opposes later start times for high schools because he says kids will just stay up later, defeating the purpose of trying to allow them more time for sleep.

Governor's A+ plan for education

GALAYDICK: Supports it. Likes the FCAT because it enables school comparisons. Vouchers are good if they push public schools to improve. Cash rewards for schools are necessary part of program and should be used to enhance education.

HOMER: Schools should not be judged on a single test. Some measurement is necessary but dislikes FCAT. Financial rewards should not be tied to evaluations of schools.

POLK: Supports. Staff and teachers need accountability. Willing to consider an alternative to FCAT.

WIGGINS: Supports. Says plan needs improvement but considers annual learning tests necessary and FCAT a good start. Supports cash rewards for schools that do well and private-school vouchers for students who are in low-performing schools. Says public schools shouldn't lose money because of vouchers.

District finances

GALAYDICK: District has been "bumping around from crisis to crisis." Line-by-line review of budget is needed. Board has not scrutinized budget details closely enough.

HOMER: School district has lost credibility for poor handling of financial "fiasco."

POLK: Has come to refer to school district's finance office as "lost and found department" for revelations about shortfalls and discovered money. Says School Board has been asleep. More financial openness needed.

WIGGINS: Says finances are in excellent health. Confusion about financial status in past two years was due to overreaction from former finance director Sara Perez and lack of understanding of complex financial matters by local news media. There were no problems.

Curriculum needs

GALAYDICK: Too little focus has been placed on improving middle and high schools. Junior and senior years of high school should look more like community college.

HOMER: Foreign languages should be taught in elementary school.

POLK: Reading, writing and math should be top priorities. Other subjects addressed only after students demonstrate competence in the basics. Strong proponent of technical education.

WIGGINS: Wants more required math and science classes. Would like to see students grouped in classes based on their ability.

Nature Coast Technical High School

GALAYDICK: Says the school needs more emphasis on carpentry, plumbing and other building trades. Concerned about justification of the school's $40-million cost.

HOMER: Hasn't seen the curriculum. From what he knows, courses seem to suit the area's needs. The mix of courses seems pretty good. Careers are not just in areas that require working with your hands but also in communication.

POLK: Bothered by the amount of duplication between Nature Coast and existing programs at other county high schools. Would attempt to give Nature Coast more of a vocational emphasis than it now has.

WIGGINS: Construction looks ahead of schedule. Academic programs had a lot of community input and look good.

Teacher pay

GALAYDICK: Should set salary increase target nine months before start of new budget year and lobby state for money to support that target.

HOMER: Beginning teacher salaries should be competitive with neighboring counties. Supportive of merit pay to give extra money to teachers rated as superior. Further review of district organization could produce added savings. Should lobby state for more money.

POLK: Supports better pay for teachers. Wants parity with neighboring counties. Strongly favors merit pay.

WIGGINS: Attempts have been and continue to be made to trim costs in order to provide money for teacher salaries.

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