The Cumberland Times-News Sun Oct 10, 2010, 07:58 AM EDT
— OAKLAND — The candidate who wins the nonpartisan race for the District 3 seat on the Garrett County Board of Education faces a difficult decision early in his term — whether to close two elementary schools.
Incumbent Rodney Durst has served on the board for 20 years. He said he did not plan to run for re-election at first, but reconsidered because of “the severe situation the state is in.”
“We’ve worked so hard to get our schools to be some of the best in the state,” he said. “I don’t want to see it fall apart because of the budget. ... I figured now is not the time to walk away.”
Durst said his priority is ensuring state government provides equal opportunities and funding for Garrett County students as it does for students in other parts of the state.
“What I want to do is make sure state government meets its responsibility, and hold its feet to the fire,” he said.
Challenger Rodney Reckart has served as president of the Crellin Elementary School PTO for four years.
“I just wanted to do more to help,” Reckart said of his decision to run. “I just think that some of the decisions need to have a different set of eyes.”
He proposed taking another look at the energy efficiency of school buildings.
“A lot of the buildings have old windows and doors,” he said. “If they’d spend the money to replace those things, the operating cost would go down.”
The biggest issue now facing the school board is the proposed closure of Kitzmiller and Bloomington elementary schools, and the consolidation of those students into Yough Glades and Broad Ford elementaries.
Durst said he supports the small schools, but will not do so at the expense of other educational programs.
“I’ll fight all the way I can. I believe in smalls schools,” he said. “But the thing I will not do is cut high school programs to save an elementary school. My total belief is we’ve got to do what’s best for all the students of Garrett County.”
Reckart, who has spoken publicly against the closures, said he would have to “take a long, hard look at it” before agreeing to such a move.
“I don’t think anybody wins by closing a school,” he said. “But I can’t say for sure that I would vote against it.”
Reckart said he would take into consideration factors like the potential number of students in consolidated classrooms, the financial savings for the school system and how the move would impact teachers’ contracts.
The board of education seats representing Districts 1 and 2 are also open, but candidates for both — current board President Donald Forrester and Vice President Thomas Carr, respectively — are unopposed in their bids for reelection.
The board could gain a new member if current member-at-large Jim Raley is successful, as he likely will be, in his bid to become a county commissioner.
Raley is currently unopposed in seeking the District 2 seat on the commission.
If elected to the commission, Raley would resign from the school board, creating a vacancy that would be filled by an appointment by the county commission.
Since the process would be triggered by Raley’s resignation from the school board, it’s possible that the newly-elected commission — including Raley — would be the one to name his replacement.
Contact Megan Miller at mmiller@times-news.com
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