West Chester School Board Begins Interviewing to Fill Empty Seat

The West Chester School Board began interviewing candidates to fill the vacant seat left by Dr. John Wingerter last month.

Because Wingerter resigned mid-term the board will appoint someone to fill the seat until an election can be held in November.

Nine candidates applied for the job, and the board interviewed three of them on Monday.  The rest of the candidates will be interviewed next week before the board’s regular meeting.

The board is expected to vote and fill the seat next week.

The candidates interviewed on Monday would bring to the table a wide-range of experience.  Among the group are a former educator, an engineer and someone from the healthcare industry.

“Budget, budget, budget,” said Sue Tiernan when asked what were the top three issues facing the district, echoing the sentiments of the other candidates.

“This is the most challenging budget the district has ever faced,” said engineer Gary Bevilacqua.  “The board is going to have to make cuts without impacting the quality of the district.”

Every candidate spoke of how the proposed budget cuts by the governor’s office could negatively affect the district.

“The cuts from Governor Corbett are going to force the district to shed at least $3.5 million from the budget,” said Vince Murphy who has spent years working in the healthcare industry.  “We have an obligation to provide an education to the children of this district.”

The candidates also spoke of the role of not just the school board but a school board member.

“Our role is to set policy, develop a budget and hold the superintendant accountable,” said Tiernan.

Bevilacqua added, “The board must also maintain the reputation of the district while still ensuring that it is running in an optimal and efficient manner.”

Murphy said, “We are also charged with providing a safe environment for our students that is conducive to learning.”

All three candidates mentioned how important the upcoming teachers’ contract negotiations would be.

The teacher contract expires this June, and the school board is currently in the process of negotiating a new one.

Tiernan, the only former teacher to be interviewed so far, said, “I believe I can sit in a calm and dispassionate manner and make decisions.”

Murphy added, “We need to take a hard look at salary and benefits.  Right now, that makes up 65 percent of our operating budget.”

Bevilacqua said that the teacher contract is important, but he also added that the district might be spending too much money on capital improvements.

Murphy said that because of capital improvements “our debt service is too high.  Right now, it is at about 12 percent of the budget or $24 million.  I believe that if we could get that number down to 10 percent it would $4 million.”

Each candidate also said that if they had to prioritize budget cuts; they would stay away from things that affect the quality of education.

“We need to evaluate every cut we make closely,” said Bevilacqua.  “We should listen to community concerns if programs were cut.  But they should also that we might have to.  I would hate it, but we might have to.”

Murphy added, “The most important question to ask is ‘does it have a direct impact on the classroom.’”

“It might be necessary,” said Tiernan.  “This is a difficult, hard, painful time, and we might not make people happy.