Middletown Board of Education Has Filled Vacant Seat; New Member To Be Sworn In And Seated Wednesday Night

Last week the Middletown Board of Education finally got around to conducting interviews to fill the open seat on the board vacated by the sudden resignation of Bob Banta, who was elected to the BOE just this past April.

On Wednesday July 13th, 8 people individually sat down to be interviewed by board members, 3 of those interviewed were individuals that sought election to the BOE this past April but didn't receive enough votes, the remaining 5 were new comers to the process.

Of those 8 individuals interviewed, the one chosen was new comer Sue Griffin, who resides on Holland Drive and has been a regular at BOE meeting will be sworn in as a member of the Middletown Board of Education tomorrow night.

I received this information from Allan Burns, who was one of the 3 who sought election to the BOE this past April.

After Allan Burns learned of the selection of Ms. Griffin, he was a little disappointed to say the least, he expressed to me that he didn't have a problem with her appointment and welcome the choice, but questioned whether she had prior experience or ran for election to the BOE in the past. He felt that if she had never ran, shared her views or answered questions from the public, it was a problem.

I understand that the Board of Education had no obligation to chose one of the 3 individuals that ran for the BOE this past April. Their job was to find, in their opinion, the best qualified person to fill the vacant seat left by Bob Banta's resignation, but I happen to feel that it might have been better if they had chosen either Allan Burns or one of the other 2 individuals that had campaigned back in April for the position.

Burns and the others stood at numerous gatherings and forums answering questions about themselves and their views on education while being vetted by the residents of Middletown. I think that the residents had a right to be familiar with the person that ultimately would have been appointed to the BOE. Residents will not have that chance to vet Sue Griffin themselves until next year when she will have to run for reelection to the Board of Education herself.

I am thinking that one of the main reason why Sue Griffin was selected to fill the vacant seat on the board was simply familiarity.

Ms. Griffin being a regular at Board of Education meetings and often expressing her views and concerns to the board, which I suppose is a good thing, showed that if you're committee enough to attend meetings and express your views to those that sit in authority then you'll have a leg up on others when such openings come up.

I wish her well and hope that she can be a calming and somewhat influential force on the Board of Education. I hear from many people that the current make up of Middletown's BOE is dysfunctional and lacks experience to handle important issues within the Administration.

Personally I would know if that was true or not but if I hear from several others, there must be some truth in it.

Allan D. Burns, Candidate Middletown Board of Education

I received the following letter from Allan D. Burns, who is seeking to be elected to fill the 1 year unexpired term on the Middletown Board of Education during tomorrow's April 27th, 2011 school board election:

I would like to take a moment to share with you the reasons for which I have decided to run for the Board of Education.

I am a lifelong resident of this community and like many of you I’m concerned with the budget, the direct impact this has on our tax payers, the lack of accountability and the lack of transparency. I’ve been an observer and listened to others use our children and their futures as bargaining chips for their own personal gain and propaganda. And when the only solution offered is to “increase taxes and cut services” I knew we had to do better and can do better! Our children deserve more and it should not be at additional cost to the tax payers. Positive change begins with hiring the right individuals who are not afraid to challenge the budget and put it to task. That is what I intend to do. For the well being of the whole community, I am running because I believe I can do better for my child, my parents, the students of Middletown and the tax payers alike!

I pledge my unwavering commitment to all the members of this great community. I promise to challenge every dollar and be accountable. These values are critical because we will have to soon hire a new superintendent and negotiate new teacher contracts. These decisions will shape our future. We need a superintendent who will work hand and hand with a unified Board, the tax payers and the community’s best interest and in doing so, our children will receive the benefits they deserve. I cannot possibly have all the answers though I know when to listen and will put the necessary time in for discovery, ensuring that every option is explored, with your best interests at the forefront.

We need people with a sense of community, negotiating skills, business skills, the ability to speak with an open mind and challenge the system, now more than ever. It is these principles that help benefit the community as a whole. If we take the right steps now, we will not be handcuffed in the future.

If I am elected on April 27th, I promise I will fight for what is best for our community, as a whole. I thank you for your time. Allan Burns position #1 for the one year term.

Allan D. Burns,

Candidate Middletown Board of Education