By Pete Kendall/reporter@trcle.com
When incumbent Jennifer Dugger opted not to run for re-election to Cleburne school board, political newcomers Matt Snider and Tolin Navarrete stood ready to fill the void.
Each has applied for Place 3 in the May 9 election.
Each has similar but unrelated motives.
“I do this first and foremost simply as an offer of public service,” Snider, a native New Yorker, said. “I’m not running against anyone, though this is a contested race. I don’t know anything about my opponent, but I’m sure he’s a nice guy if he’s willing to offer himself for public service.”
“My schedule has fallen into place so I could do this and not take time away from my family,” Navarrete, a native of Mexico and a Cleburne ISD product, said. “This was an opportunity to run when I felt it was needed.”
Why Place 3, when an at-large race would have allowed them to run against two incumbents, Brent Easdon and Teddy Martyniuk?
“I’m not opposed to anyone on the board,” Navarrete said. “Everyone seems to be doing a good job and working together. Place 3 came open when I heard the incumbent was not going to file.”
“I’m running [for Place 3] because the incumbent didn’t want to fill the vacancy,” Snider said. “The board has done a reasonably good job in view of all the major issues that have confronted them. But there’s always room for improvement and perhaps another perspective.”
Both spoke kindly of first-year superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard.
“I don’t know him personally,” Snider said, “but he came into a very explosive situation, and I think he has handled the financial aspects of his job, which has been the most public aspect of his job, satisfactoraly so far.”
“He’s made some progressive steps,” Navarrete said. “The steps he’s taken seem to be what the district needed. He’s seeking accountability at every level. So far, I approve of the job he has done.”
Both stress community involvement in the education system.
“I am a community adviser in the ESL [English as a second language] program,” Navarrete said. “I’ve sat on the at-risk committee and TEAM School advisory committee. Most of my family members here and in Mexico have been teachers. I have a big love for teaching.”
“A school district serves a community broadly and the various constituencies within it,” Snider said. “Sometimes those constituencies are not actively represented with a voice on the school board. When a school board is too uniform, voices and needs in the community that are not reflected in the board’s composition go unheard and unattended.”
Both tout their local roots.
“I started school at Coleman as a first grader,” Navarette said.
“I’m a native of the Bronx, N.Y.,” Snider said, “but I’ve been in Texas over 27 years. I got here as quick as I could.”
The filing deadline is Monday.
A number of other races across the county will be contested.
In Burleson ISD, incumbents Staci J. Eisner in Place 5 and Beverly Volkman Powell in Place 6 have filed for re-election. Pat Worrell has filed for Place 7 in Burleson.
In Grandview ISD, incumbents Jon Taggart and Kim Akers have filed for re-election. Derik Moore has also filed for one of the three at-large seats. Incumbent Tim Davis has not filed.
In Joshua ISD, incumbents Chris Ohlsen and Rob Davis have filed for re-election. Place 7, previously held by Randy Watson, is vacant.
In Godley ISD, incumbents Dennis McFarlin and Terrie Goodloe have filed for re-election without opposition. Matt McKittrick has filed for the third at-large post.
In Alvarado ISD, incumbents Tom Head and Michael Percifield have filed for re-election without opposition.
In Rio Vista ISD, incumbent Keith Hall has filed for re-election. Jim Bonham has also filed. Incumbent Ronald E. Bryant has not filed.
The Keene ISD school board election is in November.
