Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

With great interest, I read Soap Box Hero?’s (SBH) assessment of Meet the Candidates Night. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend. I have played careful attention to each of the candidates?’ positions via discussions, campaign literature and newspapers.

We will get a new board. I agree with SBH?’s assessment of candidates, Dr. Brink and Mr. Powers. I?’ve known Dr. Brink for over 18 years and he definitely has the necessary skills and commitment to be an excellent leader in our board. While I don?’t know Mr. Powers personally, several individuals who?’s opinion I value speak highly of him.

In terms of John Maurer, yes, he is ?‘a man of few words?’. It appears SBH could learn from John. No one surpasses John?’s dedication to this district and students. He gets the job done effectively and efficiency with little fanfare. We need John on our school board. We don?’t need ?‘glory hogs?’ who ramble on and on at board meetings about trivia, just to get their names in the newspapers.

Wes Monhollen is, by far, the most qualified candidate running for our school board. He has outstanding business experience with valuable skills in budget control, human resources, and negotiations. We need a business leader and their no-nonsense approach on our board. As his campaign treasurer, I know no one is campaigning hard than Wes.

Your comments, about Lori Sanders at board meetings are plain wrong. I have attended a number of meetings. And, yes, the nonverbal antics bother me, too. However, the last time I addressed the board, one member literally crossed his arms, turned his chair to the side and faced the wall from the time I started to the time I finished. Needless to say, it wasn?’t Lori. And, I?’m not the only one who has complained about nonverbal antics from this member and his ally on the board.

As far as Mrs. Oakes is concerned, it is irresponsible as an elected official to list as one of the top challenges facing our district the issue of fear. In this sensitive national time, it is unbelievable that Mrs. Oakes would use the words -- fear, threats and retaliation -- in a campaign fund-raising letter dated September 14. Her negativity has been felt throughout our district.

Finally, I think we will have a close election and the results may surprise both Soap Box Hero and me. We have a very intelligent community who understands what is really going on.

Mark, my good friend

Mark, my good friend ?– WELCOME BACK. Your additions to this forum have been greatly missed by some. Yes, it is unfortunate you were not able to attend. But to summarize, you actually were there for most of it. All the Council incumbents and all but one of the Board incumbents did was read their campaign literature, their quotes from the newspapers and the precanned Bushman-speak that the new spin doctor wrote for them. Same old same old, Mark. The only thing you really missed were the heartfelt statements by the two challengers for Council and one incumbent and the challengers for the Board. And that?’s too bad. I hope you are not the kind of voter that makes a decision based on what you read in campaign literature and the newspapers. Well, let me clarify the newspaper part. I hope you aren?’t making decisions based on the candidate profiles and how they answer those questions. I DO hope, however, that you make a decision based on articles reflecting what happened at Board meetings and council meetings. Make an informed decision based upon the truth.

You missed quite a show with Dr. Brink. Don?’t get me wrong, I think I like the guy, it?’s just that he got a little rattled, but if you know him as you say, you?’re probably used to that.

I appreciate your thoughts on brevity on my part. But without you here to joust with, all I had was the sound of my own keyboard to keep me entertained. John is extremely dedicated. I?’ve told you that before. I just don?’t believe that qualifies him for the Board. He is more needed as a booster. If you would have been there to temper your judgment of me, you would have heard him say that they brought in over a half million dollars for the programs. That is outstanding and worthy of a lot of public recognition. I still don?’t think that qualifies him for the Board. I can?’t disagree that some people ramble a little too much at the Board meetings. But with Mrs. Oakes as president, and Mr. Powers on the Board, things will become more civilized.

As I said, I don?’t know much about Mr. Monhollen, so I won?’t comment. Hopefully, enough other voters do because other than the newspapers, I haven?’t heard a heck of a lot about him.

I disagree that my comments about Mrs. Sanders are wrong. You disagree, too. You agree with at least part of what I said. I don?’t deny that there are probably others that treat you with less than the amount of respect you think you deserve. We all live with that. I don?’t condone that arm-crossing thing, but I wouldn't judge either, as I wasn?’t there to see what you said that might have prompted it.

We?’ve been down the trail before about Mrs. Oakes. Since that time I?’ve gotten to know her better and will stand by my endorsement of her. And I agree to disagree with you as to her reelection to the Board.

Good hearing from you again Mark. One last thing ?– since you have written to the local newspapers before expressing your feelings about the candidates for election, are you going to do it again this year? I already have. It hasn?’t been published yet, but that?’s not too much of a surprise to me. Since Council controls the local media and its reporters, I highly doubt I?’ll get press. But thanks to the wonderful world of technology, I can keep sending those letters in week after week and sooner or later, one of them will again slip in.


By Soap Box Hero