Four candidates seek Scranton School Board seats
Published: October 24, 2009
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share thisThe Scranton School Board will likely have one new face on it after November's election.
Three incumbents and one newcomer are running for four open seats.
Brian Jeffers is running as a Democrat, and Frank Brazill, Bob Lesh and newcomer Bob Sheridan are running with both the Democratic and Republican nominations.
Mr. Sheridan would replace Todd Hartman, a three-time director who lost in May's primary election. Republican candidate Steve Scarpetta dropped out of the race because he said he had not lived in the city for the state-required year before the election.
The incumbents say they are running on their records, including within the last four years starting and partly completing the district's $60 million construction project, passing a fair, last-minute teachers contract to avoid a strike and hiring a certified superintendent.
"I know it took us a while to get a superintendent, but I'm really glad we picked a superintendent from within our new district," Mr. Lesh said of Superintendent William King.
Two of the biggest issues facing the district are state pension payments that are set to double next year and how to fund the proposed renovations at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County, Mr. Jeffers said.
Mr. Sheridan said that as a board newcomer, he wants to find a way to reduce school taxes for residents 65 and older.
"We have a lot of senior citizens in the area who can't afford it," he said.
Another priority for Mr. Sheridan is completing structural improvements to West Scranton High School, he added.
Attempts to reach Mr. Brazill were unsuccessful.
Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com School board
(4 seats)
Frank Brazill (D-R)
Brian Jeffers (D)
Bob Lesh (D/R)
Bob Sheridan (D/R)
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