3 running unopposed for New Paltz school board…
3 running unopposed for New Paltz school board seats
File photo by Tony Adamis
By William J. Kemble, William J Kemble news, William J Kemble newsfreeman, William J Kemble newsfreemanonline, William J Kemble newsfreemanonline.com, William J Kemble newsfreemanonlinelcom and William J Kembler |
PUBLISHED: May 14, 2015 at 9:34 a.m. | UPDATED: July 21, 2021 at 10:10 a.m.
NEW PALTZ >> An incumbent an two newcomers are running unopposed Tuesday for three-year seats on the New Paltz school board.
The candidates are incumbent Brian Cournoyer, 15 North Manheim Blvd.; Alison Easton, 35 Tracy Road; and Michael O'Donnell, 129 Stella Drive.
Cournoyer, 32, is a sales representative for Dutchess Beer Distributors and seeking a second term. He has lived in the district for seven years and, with wife Karen, has two children.
Cournoyer graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1989
He said the board needs to increase its effort to get more state aid.
"We've done a lot of work trying to advocate for ourselves at the state level trying to have our funding restored," he said. "Funding is something that every school district struggles with … and I think the next step in that process for us is trying to get the community behind us and get the community involved. I think the state is tired of hearing from us, we're only seven people, so I think they need to hear from people who actually vote for them."
Easton, 40, is a chemical engineer who making her first run for a board seat. She has lived in the district for 14 years and, with husband Mar,k has two children in the district.
She graduated from Plattville High School in Wisconsin in 1992 and earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1996.
Easton is a volunteer with Duzine-Lenape PTA and the Boy Scouts.
"I think the biggest issue the district is facing is financial due to both the tax cap and stagnant aid from the state," she said. "I think one thing the district should do in regard to this issue is really communicate the challenges to the parents and the community so that we as a community can mobilize and really express our concerns to the legislators."
Easton said the recently approved work on district schools also will be a priority.
"Now that the bond is passed, we have to make sure that the project moves forward as smoothly as possible," she said.
O'Donnell, 38, is vice president of data management and support for P/S/L Group and a first-time candidate. He has lived in the district for seven years and, with wife Heather, a teacher in the Newburgh school district, has two children.
O'Donnell graduated from Kearny High School in New Jersey in 1995 and earned a bachelor's degree in natural resources from Cornell University in Ithaca in 1999. He is a volunteer with Mohonk Preserve and Future 4 NPZ
"The biggest issue that we'll be facing in the immediate future and throughout the entire three-year term I will be on the board … is the capital project that was just approved by the voters," he said.
"One of the skills that I have, and it's going to be very relevant to that process, is data-driven decision making," O'Donnell said. "There's going to be a lot of looking at numbers, there's going to be a lot of looking at timelines and project management, and I'm sure there's going to be tough decisions from time to time about what do we want to do first with these competing priorities."
William J. Kemble | Correspondent
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