Category: The Landing

Mr. Mark Ives is one of two candidates running for the remaining seat on the Board of Education.

This year there is a special election on Tuesday, June 19th to fill one remaining seat on the Board of Education. Two candidates are running for this seat. I submitted written questions to each candidate running for the school board. I explained to each that I would run their answers as they submitted them on the Huletts Current. The questions are entirely my own and hopefully you will get a better sense of who the candidate is after reading their responses.

Today, I present Mr. Mark Ives answers to my questions.

Could you please tell us about yourself and why you are running for the school board?

“I am running for the school board because I have a great concern that all children in this district receive a quality education and one that the taxpayer can afford. I think my financial and school board experiences will be helpful to the Whitehall School District. I am a college graduate, with a BS Degree in Accounting. I retired as Director of Medicaid Fraud & Abuse for the Health Department in NYS. I served on the Fort Edward School Board for 17 years in capacities including Financial Chairperson and President of the Board.”

You said that you served on the Fort Edward school board for many years. Could you tell us what you consider to be the successes of your tenure on that school board?

“I am most proud of raising the graduation requirements for High School students from 16 credits to 20 credits. In addition, we required all students to take Regents level courses versus just High School level courses. I am also proud of the fact we required all students athletes to be drug “tested” before they could participate in any sport. They were also randomly tested during the season for further compliance. Finally, I am proud that for 8 (eight) consecutive years, as Chairman of the Finance Committee, we presented a budget to the taxpayer that had no tax increase.”

Most people look back fondly on some aspects of their high-school education. Could you tell us what your favorite book from high school was? Why was it your favorite book and should it be required reading today?

“My favorite book from high school was: The Last of the Mohicans. I would recommend it for reading today because it identifies the challenges of a by-gone era that, remarkably, still exist in our global society today.”

The job market today is a highly competitive one. Should the school district be doing something that it is not already doing or should it be offering additional classes to see that its graduates have the skills and education necessary for success?

“It is apparent to me, with the ever changing global economy, that in order to be successful, most high school students will need to pursue a high school curriculum that would give them access to a college education be it either a two year or four year degree. I feel the school district should offer strong programs focused on today’s job market and encourage all students to do well in these courses as these areas appear to lead to successful careers. I think all school districts need to re-evaluate course offerings to stay current with the changing needs of the student in today’s society.”

I’m sure you wouldn’t be running for the school board if you didn’t care about children. What is the biggest issue that children face today and what realistically can the school board do to address it?

“One of the larger issues and most publicized is “bullying” of students. I think most districts are making a sincere effort to address this issue.

The second biggest issue is how and where do “I” (Average Whitehall Central School District Student) get a job once I graduate from High School. The best option, which I previously stressed, is continuing education. However, not every student has college aspirations. I think the school district needs to provide as much assistance as possible to help these students pursue a field of work that would help them be successful in life. Locally, the students and school districts have access to BOCES. School Districts should always be monitoring BOCES to ensure that current, updated programs, putting the students on track to successful, gratifying careers in today’s global society, are accessible.”

Thank you, Mr. Ives, for taking the time to respond to these questions. I know the readers of the Huletts Current appreciate your responses.

The school district has confirmed that the run-off election for the last seat on the Board of Education is scheduled for Tuesday, June 19th.

This will be a contest between the two write-in candidates who ended up tied after the regular election. Joyce Corcoran and Mark Ives will vie for a single four-year term on the board.

Over the weekend, I mailed questionnaires to both candidates.

Quick frankly, I’m looking forward to the election because a contested election should bring out both candidate’s ideas for improving the school district. I believe that a healthy debate on all the issues regarding the district is much needed.

Over the last few years, we’ve had uncontested elections where the candidates haven’t stated any positions. Hopefully that will change this time around.

More as this develops.

I spoke with Ms. Martha Bascue, Clerk of the School District, and the write-in votes have been released to the public. These are the totals:

Samantha Kingsley – 25 Votes
Mark Ives – 13 Votes
Joyce Corcoran – 13 Votes
Robert Putorti, Jr. – 4 Votes
Andre Gordon – 3 Votes
T. Scrime – 1 Vote
Michael Putorti – 1 Vote
Rick Juckett – 1 Vote
Eric Sunduttl -1 Vote

Because Mr. Ives and Ms. Corcoran are technically tied for the final opening, both Mr. Ives and Ms. Corcoran have 5 days to decline a runoff election for the final 4-year term on the school board. If neither declines, a runoff election will be held for the final spot.

It is interesting to note that the reason why there were three openings during this election cycle is that Ms. Corcoran originally declined to seek re-election.

Mr. Brooks and Ms. Kingsley have been awarded the two 5-year terms pursuant to their higher vote totals.

I have asked to review the write-in ballots and have been assured by Ms. Bascue that this is possible.

Ms. Bascue did confirm that the final open school board position is for 4 years pursuant to the legal notice.

There have been some reports that one of the three seats on the Board of Education (contested in Tuesday’s election) is for a one-year term. This is contrary to the legal notice that the school district ran announcing the election.

The three seats open on the Board of Education were identified in the district’s legal notice as two 5-year terms and one term to fill the unexpired term of George Armstrong which is set to expire in 2016 (4 years). See the legal notice announcing the board of education election and the terms for those elected. Is the district now saying that the term of the person replacing George Armstrong is for one year? If so, this seems to be contrary to the their own legal notice.

The school district election was held on Tuesday, May 15th.

Three seats were open on the school board, with James Brooks being the only candidate on the ballot who had submitted a petition to run. However there were a number of write-in candidates who joined the contest late. Mark Ives from Dresden was one write-in candidate, and other write-in candidates were evidently written in at the election booth by several voters.

I contacted the school district at 2:30 pm and spoke to Martha Bascue, the District Clerk. She informed me that the write-in votes were still being tabulated and that no vote totals would be released until the election was official. She said nine different names had been written in and that a number of ballots were being looked at still, and that they had to contact their legal counsel. She said there were approximately 60 write-in votes. I asked how many votes were in question and if any vote totals could be released. Ms. Bascue said that the vote totals would not be released at this time. She suggested that I call back on Thursday, May 17th.

Ms. Bascue did provide me with the names of the people “written in” as candidates in this order (there may be spelling mistakes):

Samantha Kingsley
Mark Ives
Robert Putorti, Jr.
Joyce Corcoran
T. Scrime
Michael Putorti
Rick Juckett
Andre Gordon
Eric Sunduttl

This is an important issue, because the top two write-in candidates would serve one 5 year term on the school board and the other would serve a 4 year term. I personally find the fact that no vote totals have been released yet to be a bit troubling, as well as the fact that the number of ballots being looked at for possible issues is also unknown.

The budget passed with 190 votes “for” and 25 “opposed”.

The proposition to buy a new school bus passed with 153 votes “for” and 35 “opposed”.

More on this as it develops.

Imagine an election where there are no contested seats and no candidate states a position beforehand? That’s what is happening on Tuesday in the Whitehall school board election, where there are three open seats and only one candidate who has submitted a petition to run. While I submitted a questionnaire to the one announced candidate, he has not returned it as of the date of this post.

I find this disappointing on a number of levels but this appears to be the new normal in regards to the Whitehall school board. While I personally believe our democracy and institutions deserve better, unless people step up and run for the seats in question, the candidates running unopposed can simply take this position. I’ve posted the questions below that I submitted to the declared candidate so you will at least know what I asked.

The election and vote on next year’s budget is Tuesday, May 15th from noon to 9 pm in the large group instructional room at the Whitehall High School.

Questions submitted to candidate (which to date have not been answered).

1.) Could you please tell us about yourself and why you are running for the school board?

2.) Most people look back fondly on some aspects of their high-school education. Could you tell us what your favorite book from high school was? Why was it your favorite book and should it be required reading today?

3.) Recently New York state instituted what is known as the 2% tax cap on local property tax increases. Do you believe this was a good thing and will you work to keep property tax increases low?

4.) The Whitehall school district’s enrollment has declined by almost 15% over the last 8 years as reported by the school district. However, this enrollment decline has not resulted in any property tax savings for the local property tax payers. When do you expect that falling enrollment will translate into lower property taxes for all?

5.) The job market today is a highly competitive one. What should the school district be doing that it is not already doing to see that its graduates have the skills and education necessary for success?