Published: May 13, 2008 10:17 pm            

LEW-PORT: Candidates debate spending, bad board image

ANONYMOUS: Candidates James Mezhir and Bonnie Gifford address unsolicited mail "assault."

Hopefuls running for the Lewiston-Porter Board of Education made their appeals to the public Tuesday night, addressing issues such as frivolous spending, the board’s negative image and anonymous mailers slamming two of the candidates.

Though the question-and-answer session was friendly, the division in support was clear from the session’s start. Bob Weller and Ed Waller, both openly critical of the district’s increased spending, spoke with each other before the questions began while Jim Mezhir and Bonnie Gifford, who have both voiced support of the $40.43 million budget with no tax levy increase, chatted.

When asked about improving the board’s image, criticism of board behavior was consistent, but not agreed upon by the four candidates.

Mezhir said the board needs to learn to “agree to disagree and move on” and certain members need to learn “professional courtesy,” without naming anyone specific.

“It still stymies me to sit in a session with some of my colleagues and have ongoing and continuous bantering,” Mezhir said. “I think I remember that as part of high school and I think I grew out of it by the time I got to college.”

Weller mentioned Lilly by name, saying the board was less emotional when Lilly was temporarily off the board, but Weller implied the personal arguments went both ways.

“Prior boards have really gone out of the way to blindside other members and this type of personal agenda, it costs the taxpayers needlessly — in an excess of $40,000 last time,” Weller said, referring to the legal costs in removing Lilly, which Mezhir voted in favor. “Rather than come out as men and talk to each other instead of having a childhood manner.”

Waller said it was important board members address concerns directly with each other rather than keep quiet and Gifford said the current board was “distracted” by “frivolous lawsuits” and “pettiness.”

Gifford and Mezhir both used their closing comments to refute what Gifford referred to as “unsolicited, unsigned midnight memos” intended to “assault” their character.

The leaflets distributed last weekend, and rumored to be appearing again before the school board vote, have attempted to sway voters from voting for Mezhir and Gifford in favor of the more fiscally conservative Weller and Waller.

“I have read these distorted pieces and I can tell you they are not true,” Gifford said. “I have built my campaign based on truth, recognizing I would be held to that standard if I was elected.”

Mezhir said unlike the mailing alleges, the 2006 teacher’s contract he approved was actually “the most taxpayer-friendly contract in decades” and attempts to “browbeat” him in the newspaper aren’t moving the district any closer toward its goals of financial stability.

While Mezhir touted the zero percent tax levy increase as a positive, Weller criticized the budget, saying three-quarters of it goes toward teacher’s salaries. Weller said Lew-Port pays $9,000 per teacher while Clarence only pays about $4,000. Waller said Lew-Port should strive to perform better in the Business First school district rankings and overtake Williamsville, which was No. 1 last year. Later in the session, Mezhir said Lew-Port should measure its success against itself over time and not worry about “Amherst or Clarence or Williamsville.”

The candidates forum will air on Time Warner Channel 21 Thursday, Saturday and Monday evenings or online at http://www.nfschools.net. Voting will take place Tuesday in the community resource building.

        

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