11 petition for Lehighton vacancy

By the time Lehighton Area School District’s board of directors convenes next on March 26, it will know who its ninth and final member will be.

Carbon County President Judge Roger N. Nanovic heard from 10 candidates, and an attorney representing another, on Wednesday seeking to fill Lehighton’s vacant board seat.

The vacancy was created after Gail Maholick won a four-year and a two-year term in November’s general election. Maholick chose the four-year term and the remaining eight Lehighton board members did not fill the vacancy within 30 days, meaning the decision fell into Nanovic’s hands.

“I think it was a real benefit hearing the candidates speak today,” Nanovic said following the proceeding. “I understand to serve in an office where you are primarily a volunteer and are often subject to criticism is a difficult position. I do believe we have good, qualified candidates who applied for the seat, but only one can be appointed.”

One candidate, Timothy Wagner, did not appear Tuesday or update the court as to his status, Nanovic said. A member of the tipstaff told Nanovic that Wagner no longer intended on seeking the seat.

Nanovic did not make a decision Tuesday, saying he wanted to take time to review notes, petitions of the candidates and their resumes.

A decision, he added, will come before Lehighton’s next meeting in March.

Fran Flickinger

Represented by attorney Paul Rossi, the now-retired Flickinger touted her experience in the medical field and on the United Way of Carbon County board of directors.

“I will work for the people, not the lobbyists,” she told the judge.

Touching on curriculum, Flickinger said children are no longer taught how to write in school, something she would look to address.

“What was wrong with penmanship?” she asked. “Why did we stop teaching that?”

She also stressed visiting other school boards to see how they handle certain situations and stressing positivity.

“The bickering, slamming of the gavel and people taken out by police is appalling,” she said. “That is no way to run the board. We are here for the children, but we should also listen to the parents and the people.”

Richard D. Beltz

Beltz was not present Tuesday, having taken his wife to a medical appointment, but Rossi also represented him.

“He has a wonderful temperament to sit on the board,” Rossi said of his client. “Richard is a man with long-standing ties to the community as the owner of Beltzville Airport. I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want someone with the caliber of an airline pilot on a school board.”

Beltz’s son, Richard R. Beltz, currently sits on the board.

David Krause

Nanovic appointed Krause, a former board member, in 2016 in a similar situation after the death of director William Hill.

Serving 10 of the past 12 years on the board, Krause said, the district has posted some of the top scores in the county on standardized tests, the school performance profile and the SAT.

“Now is the time to raise the bar,” Krause said. “The district has initiated a lot of new programs such as our Pre-K program and STEAM initiative. Our facilities have been upgraded to improve safety and facilitate better instruction, and our clubs have achieved great success.”

Krause told Nanovic the recent divisiveness of the board has not been good for the community and “three months have been lost not having productive meetings.”

“Districts are facing very important issues right now with drugs and school shootings,” he said. “It is time to start moving forward again.”

Duane Eidem

Another former board member with over nine years of experience, Eidem said the board’s challenge right now is for everyone to come together “working to make the district the best in the county and statewide.”

“There are philosophical differences right now on the board,” Eidem said. “Everyone has different ideas they want to bring forward. Sometimes ideas mesh well and sometimes they don’t. I am just for moving the district forward and want to see the best education for the kids.”

Gloria Bowman

Like Krause and Eidem, Bowman sought re-election in 2017 and fell short, but is hoping for another chance with the vacant seat available.

Bowman told Nanovic she is passionate about student success. It is a passion, she said, that began at an early age.

“I was failing reading in first grade and if it weren’t for teachers who took me under their wing, I probably couldn’t have gotten the education I did,” Bowman said. “As a lifelong educator, I have worked hard to promote education and extracurricular activities, while being responsible to the community in a financial sense.”

As for the recent turmoil, Bowman said everyone has the ability to put aside political and philosophical differences and work together for the best interest of Lehighton.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t had committee meetings to address many issues discussed in open meetings,” she added. “Things can often be worked out at committee meetings and then brought to the board as a whole. Everyone brings a different expertise to the table. We can all learn from each other.”

Rita L. Spinelli

Spinelli is hoping to get back on the board following a six-year stint in the 1990s.

She said while some of the ideas from Lehighton’s newest board members are good, she is not comfortable with bashing other board members and administrators.

“Our children are watching,” she said. “We teach our children to respect authority and they see us do these kinds of things.”

Spinelli, a retired real estate agent, told Nanovic she previously came on the board after a similar situation where divided factions were in play.

“I think we all need to weigh all the information and come up with best decisions we can, but we have to work under policies and procedures and rules,” she added.

Spinelli said she hopes to provide experience, while new board members are able to “learn, mature and get their act together.”

Nathan Foeller

Foeller owns a print shop in Stroudsburg and has a background with Lighthouse Baptist Church.

He told Nanovic he favors a strong education system that benefits everyone in community.

“Our future work force are the ones being educated today,” he said. “I’d like to see support for the hard work of our teachers and administration, and meetings get back to being productive again. Dissenting opinions should always be welcome, but the bullying tactics should be stopped.”

Of the two factions, Foeller said he sides with those “who support education.”

“With three children in the district, I see things from a parent’s perspective,” he said. “I watch my children come home excited at what they have learned and the opportunities they have. I want to see those opportunities continue and move forward.”

Autumn Frey

Nanovic said the statute was not 100 percent clear to him on Frey’s eligibility for the seat since she is a Carbon Career & Technical Institute employee and Lehighton is one of the sending districts which funds CCTI.

There has been past precedent for CCTI employees serving as board members for sending districts, however, as Hal Resh formerly served on Lehighton’s board and Katherine Baumgardt is a current Palmerton board member.

Frey told Nanovic you can’t put a price tag on a child’s education and spoke highly of Lehighton’s Pre-K program, which she said paid dividends for her own daughter.

“My goal is to ensure all students have the same opportunities my daughter has,” she said. “I will make a strong commitment to work with all board members to make conscientious decisions and have an open mind for the needs of our children and taxpayers.”

Frey said she is not part of any faction and hopes to bring everyone together as one group.

Walter Zlomsowitch

As owner of K and K Oil Co., Zlomsowitch, who was represented by Rossi, said he would like to see a greater emphasis placed on technical education and learning different trades.

“Our education system seems to push children to get college degrees, but often they get out and can’t get a job,” he said. “I can see in my industry, I think we are missing out on the technical end of it. People can grow up to be doctors, lawyers, plumbers or electricians and we can support them all.”

Zlomsowitch referenced the infighting taking place on the board and said he aims to unite people.

It is why, he said, he took a chance on seeking a political seat knowing it may negatively impact his business if customers don’t agree with his views.

“We need to try to unite and put the children first,” he said. “I’m proud of Lehighton and the fact that I grew up here and graduated form here. I know there are personal conflicts and legal conflicts, but when that board comes in, it is about the children and the community.”

Frank Tamburri

Tamburri is no stranger to speaking before Nanovic as he also sought the vacant seat in 2016.

His problem with the district, he said, is that the board “doesn’t seem to put a premium on parental involvement.”

“They don’t listen to people with experience who can help them,” he told Nanovic. “They are starting to let the community speak at board meetings and I am hopeful that continues.”

Tamburri, represented by Rossi, said he has never been against a new school such as the elementary center currently under construction in Lehighton, but his question has always been can the community afford it?

“Now we have it and we have to figure out how to pay for it,” he said. “When we ask questions, nobody seems to have an answer.”

In time, Tamburri said, he hopes board members learn to appreciate what each person brings to the table.

RoniSue Ahner

As the last person to speak before Nanovic on Wednesday, Ahner admitted she might not be the most qualified of the candidates.

The secretary-treasurer for Nesquehoning Borough submitted her petition for the vacancy only a few days ago after seeing highlights of a board meeting on television.

“My concern is for the children,” she said. “It just seems they have forgotten it is the children we are concerned about. I want to make sure they have a great education to move forward in whatever they wish to do.”

Ahner said she believes her managerial duties at Nesquehoning borough would prove to be an asset for the district.

“Not everyone is going to have the same opinion on something, but I think they can work together for a common goal.”