Name: Terry L. Sandusky
Age: 64
Hometown: Mapleton resident for 32 years
Section: 3
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? Chair Board of Directors for Child Development Services of Aroostook, Vice Chair Board of Directors for Aroostook Regional Transportation Services, and Secretary of Mapleton Lions Club.
I was the first person to be awarded the “Employee of the Year” for the Department of Health and Human Services in 2005, was awarded the “William Twarog Manager of the Year” for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in 1998, and was awarded lifetime membership in the American Association of Developmental Disabilities in 2002. I have also taught courses for the University of Kentucky, Kentucky Wesleyan College and Husson College.
What is your career background? I graduated from Murray State University with a master of science degree in clinical psychological services. I practiced for seven years in Kentucky before becoming a developmental services program administrator for the Department of Mental Health and Corrections. When we moved to Mapleton 32 years ago, I managed regional services and was the director of the former Aroostook Residential Center in Presque Isle. Today, as a result of merger and reorganization, I work for the Department of Health and Human Services. Within the Department, I work for the Office of Adults with Cognitive and Physical Disability Services.
My duties include the managing of developmental disability services in Aroostook County. I also manage the statewide electronic case record system for the OACPDS that has nearly 1,000 users across the state.
What made you decide to run for this office? I view education as the key for each person to live the fullest life possible. Some people speak only about our schools producing educated workers, but I believe our schools must teach our children that learning is essential. To be a good parent, to be a responsible person, to enjoy different types of art and music, and to be an outstanding church member are all parts of our life that require education and lifelong learning skills.
My desire is for our schools to teach skills as well as open the horizon to new possibilities and excitement in life. Living should be more than getting through life. It should have enjoyment, personal fulfillment and community accomplishment. These life goals all depend on the very best education delivered by the very best teachers in the very best schools we can provide. I am a strong advocate for our children and families in our school district. They are at the heart of every decision I make.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? This year and the two years to follow, keeping our school programs strong and intact while facing extreme funding challenges will be the major challenge. I have maintained a no property tax increase pledge to my constituents. The announced reduction of school funding from the Department of Education of approximately $70 million for this year and next year will mean a substantial loss to SAD 1 will occur. Finding ways to reduce spending without jeopardizing programs will be difficult. This year, the district eliminated positions and next year there may need to be additional position eliminations. These changes must not come at the expense of our educational program. As your representative, I keep children and families at the center of the decision.
What do you see as your primary goals, if elected? My first goal is to continue helping parents with their concerns regarding their children’s education program. Answering their questions and going with them to meet with school officials on their behalf is my first priority.
My second goal is to find ways to deal with funding losses by lowering costs and yet keep our teaching team intact. The upcoming possible use of windmills to lower energy costs or the energy conservation remodeling of our school are examples of finding new solutions that create savings that can be redirected to our education program.
Why should people vote for you? The next three years are going to be very challenging. My experience as a School Board member and as a manager at my office is the strength I bring to meet these challenges. Advocating for our children and families while keeping an eye on taxpayer needs, as well, is what I believe I do best. We have a great teaching team who I respect and will do what is necessary to give them the resources to effectively teach our children. I ask the voters to consider my leadership experience on the board and my advocacy for children, families and school personnel as they make their decision. I ask they vote experience in these challenging times.
Name: Eric R. Warren
Age: 33
Hometown: Mapleton
Section: 3
What is your career background? I have worked at Netherland Office Products for 13 years; five as IT manager.
What made you decide to run for this office? I saw that the position was available through an ad in The Star-Herald, and I recognized the opportunity to become more involved in my community.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? The most important issue is providing the highest quality education possible for our children.
What do you see as your primary goals, if elected? Being fiscally responsible. I will keep my eye on the school crossing guard situation, and SAD 1’s interest in windmill technology.
Why should people vote for you? When I researched the position, I found myself concerned that the majority of the School Board members do not currently have children in K-12. My opponent, Terry Sandusky, hasn’t had children in school for many years. While I don’t believe that having children in school should be a requirement of the School Board members, I think we need to level the field a bit.
I have two wonderful kids, Benjamin and Madison, enrolled in SAD 1 and I want to make sure that the students and the taxpayers are well represented.
Name: D. Michele Green
Age: 66
Hometown: Westfield
Section: 4
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? I was originally elected to this seat in November 2006. I’ve also been a member of the Planning Board of Appeals for the town of Westfield since the early 1990s.
What is your career background? While my children were small, I was a stay-at-home mom who volunteered in the schools my children attended. When they were all in school full time, I went back to university. After earning a bachelor of science degree in education with honors and a bachelor of arts degree in art with a minor in geology, I taught in the Limestone school district until the base closure. After the base closure, I was employed with Video Monitoring Services as a supervisor. Semi-retired, I now work part time with Upward Bound at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
What made you decide to run for this office? The School Board’s role is to ensure that the district’s children receive the very best education they can receive within the means that the district’s citizens are able to provide them. My four children attended SAD 1 schools while growing up, and I’m grateful for the education they were provided. I want other peoples’ children to have the same opportunities my children had.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? I believe the most important issue facing SAD 1 is to maintain our high quality of education that is student-driven while keeping the budget affordable for the average taxpayer. We face increasing costs for non-educational items such as fuel to heat the buildings and transport students, commodities, health insurance, etc. As a board, we have been proactive in seeking ways to contain costs and to put our district in a position where we can actually realize future savings. Improvements to the buildings have already started to pay off in energy costs. We have voted to proceed with the wind turbine study to determine if wind turbines at Mapleton Elementary and the Presque Isle Middle School would be cost effective.
What do you see as your primary goals, if elected? Education is more than just preparing students to take tests and become members of the economy. If re-elected, I hope to continue my advocacy for a well-rounded curriculum that includes not only academics and vocational training, but also the visual and performing arts and athletics.
Why should people vote for you? Because I want to ensure the students of SAD 1 receive a quality education that prepares them for the future.
Name: Scott J. Norton
Age: 45
Hometown: Presque Isle
Section: 7
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? Presque Isle Industrial Council (2002-present)
What is your career background? Business management for 23 years. Seven years as manager of J.P. Cash Market. Currently and previous 16 years as general manager for Percy’s Auto Sales, Inc.
What made you decide to run for this office? I was asked by retiring board member Brandon Roope to take his place.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? The biggest issue I see facing SAD 1 will be to maintain the high level of academic, athletic, and music programs that this city has been used to but to do it with a reduced budget.
What do you see as your primary goals, if elected? My primary goal will be to continue to grow SAD 1 from the great infrastructure that has been established, and maintain its facilities to remain as leaders in the state as a school district, and as a community.
Name: Luther James Bubar Jr.
Age: 61
Hometown: Presque Isle. Born and raised in Mars Hill and Blaine.
Section: 10
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? Member and past president of the Presque Isle Rotary Club where I was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow. Past president of the Aroostook School Board Association. Former director of Maine School Management Association, and member of Leadership Presque Isle Program.
What is your career background? I have worked in finance and retail sectors for over 35 years.
What made you decide to run for this office? The next few budgets are going to be most challenging. The voters and students of SAD 1 need objective and conscientious representation.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? The quality and standard of education in SAD 1 are second to none; we need to keep the standards high for our students going into an ever-changing world.
What do you see as your primary goals, if elected? As state funding for education continues to decrease, it will become more and more important to have board members who will work to maintain that high standard and quality for which SAD 1 is known, as well as keeping property taxes in line.
Why should people vote for you? I have served on the SAD 1 School Board for 11 years including three years as chairperson. I have served on the finance committee, building and grounds committee and negotiations committee. I have the experience to help lead SAD 1 forward.
Name: Benton Cash
Age: 54
Hometown: Presque Isle (Originally from La Junta, Colo.)
Section: 10
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? I am a past treasurer of the Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce. I am also past president of Maine Chapter of Healthcare Financial Management which is a national association devoted to hospital financial issues. Currently, I have the privilege of serving as the vice president on the board of directors of the Grace Interfaith Food Table (GIFT) which is the food pantry serving the greater Presque Isle area.
What is your career background? Financial management and reporting responsibilities at The Aroostook Medical Center has been my career focus. Originally recruited as the controller for the corporation, I am currently serving as the senior manager of Internal Audit and Corporate Insurance Services. I have responsibility for measuring the financial impact of governmental compliance and regulatory changes, acquiring professional and property liability insurance coverages, and negotiating hospital managed care contracts with health insurance companies.
What made you decide to run for this office? As a 25-year resident of Presque Isle with one son at Presque Isle High School and another at Zippel Elementary School, I have had the opportunity to see how important decisions voted by the Board of Directors can have an affect on the students, the teachers, and school leadership. It became apparent to me I would need to become more involved in the decision making process to be able to provide for input in the policies of SAD 1.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? The economy. The Board faces a huge challenge in balancing the financial pressures of the state and local cash flows with the goal of educating the children in a safe environment. Our children are depending upon the Board to make decisions that could affect them for the rest of their lives, which is a serious responsibility for any elected representative.
What do you see as your primary goals, if elected? Communication. Communication. Communication. If the purpose of the Board is to provide policy and direction, my district is interested in receiving more information about the basis for those decisions. As a parent and a taxpayer, I would like to see the creation of more transparency about finances and board decisions.
Why should people vote for you? District 10 is a neighborhood in transition. In the past 15 years, it has seen a migration of retirees whose concerns with the school district focused on the financial elements such as the mill rate. As the houses in the district have been acquired by younger families, I am seeing more children attend Zippel and Pine Street schools from this district. With these new families come new questions and concerns about class size, textbooks, athletics, teacher retention and turnover, physical facilities, school consolidation and required state tests. These are all questions related to “change” in how schools are managed from when we were students.
I will try to provide the type of information to them that will hopefully ease their anxiety as the educational system attempts to address these issues and will give their feedback to the Board as one voice among 17 other voices on the SAD 1 board of directors.
Name: Susan Cook
Age: 47
Hometown: Presque Isle
Section: 13
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? I have been on the SAD 1 Board for the past six years.
What is your career background? I work at a local daycare here in town. I have been there for the past nine years, and I also work at The Forum.
What made you decide to run for this office? After six years of serving on the board, I was thinking about getting done, but then I reconsidered. When I made the decision to run again, it was too late to get my name on the ballot, so I’m actively running as a write-in candidate.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? The most important issue will be the budget and how it will affect the residents of P.I.
Why should people vote for you? I have been on the board for the past six years, and have brought to my constituents loyalty. I’ve only missed two meetings in the last six years, so my dedication to the Board speaks for itself.
Name: Susan Hirsch Goulet
Age: 50
Hometown: Presque Isle (born and raised).
Section: 14
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? Assistant Cubmaster Pack 171 (Cub Scouts).
What is your career background? I received my associate’s degree in office administration and business management. I lived in the Westbrook/Portland area for nearly 23 years, spending 18 and a-half years at Saunders Bros. in Westbrook. After my husband and I were downsized, we decided to move back to the county. We returned to Presque Isle six years ago. I spent the first two years at Dr. Brian Gallagher’s, three years with SAD 1 at Zippel Elementary School as an Ed Tech Special Ed, and am currently at Dr. Ed Laga’s office.
What made you decide to run for this office? I know that there are a great many challenges ahead for education, and as I have two children in Presque Isle schools, I want to help assure that we maintain the high standards of educational experiences the constituents in Presque Isle have become accustomed to.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? Certainly the issue of continued financial stability in these difficult economic times is a forerunner in challenging issues. This leads me to think that we may need to operate outside the box in terms of creative funding strategies so that our children can maintain such a well-rounded education. With the educational funds shortfall that the State Department of Education is predicting, we need to become a district that seizes this challenge with a renewed vigor for becoming financially stable from other sources, that hopeful the board can discover.
What do you see as your primary goals, if elected? Certainly to carry out the board’s responsibilities to see that the schools are well operated. Also, I’d like to state that I am a firm believer in the abilities of those individuals we have chosen for administrative positions within our district, and I feel it is the duty of the board to offer support to those individuals by laying a strong foundation in the educational policies we create and adopt.
Why should people vote for you? I am an honest, ethical and reliable individual. I will look at each individual issue, weigh the pros and cons of each position related to the issue, and make the most informed decision I can – then I will share my views HONESTLY AND OPENLY. If that is what you are looking for, then please vote for me.
Name: John R. Johnston
Age: 57
Hometown: Presque Isle
Section: 15
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? I have served on the vocational committee of SAD 1 for a number of terms, and have served on the finance committee for one year.
What is your career background? Licensed funeral director for over 30 years. I have been employed at Duncan-Graves Funeral Home for the last 26 years.
What made you decide to run for this office? I have been a member of the School Board for a number of years. I have had the opportunity to represent my district throughout many important issues that have faced the district, school closings, etc.
What do you see as the most important issue facing SAD 1? With the economy as it is, we will be facing many financial decisions in the months ahead.
Why should people vote for you? Vote for experience.
