May 6, 2008
Katonah-Lewisboro school board
|
School board race is likely to be quiet this year
Despite having a three-way race for two seats on the Katonah-Lewisboro school board, it appears that none of the candidates, incumbent Eve Hundt and challengers Ken Aufsesser and Janet Harckham, are planning on putting significant resources into campaigning this year.
“I’m not looking to invest a lot of money in the campaign,” Mr. Aufsesser told The Ledger, although he has already spent more money on signs than either of the other two candidates is planning to spend in total. “I don’t see the school board as a race where spending money is useful or appropriate.”
Ms. Hundt and Ms. Harckham, meanwhile, have decided to run together as a ticket, but are not planning on spending any money on signs.
“Personally, I would like to keep it very simple,” said Ms. Harckham. “I think they’ll get a pretty clear picture of us if they read the newspapers.”
However, if Ms. Hundt and Ms. Harckham receive endorsements from Value Our Town’s Education (VOTE), a group in town that has been active in recent elections and was formed earlier this decade to help pass the school budget by educating voters, and which Ms. Hundt helped to found, it is likely that VOTE would distribute signs throughout the town.
VOTE traditionally interviews each candidate before making any endorsement, and this year will be no exception, according to group representative Karen Ginsbern. But Mr. Aufsesser has said that he would not be seeking the endorsement of either VOTE or The Sunshine Group, a group that has generally championed the ideas of fiscal responsibility and open government since it was formed a couple of years ago.
“I have no intention of looking for support from the different splinter groups, because I don’t think they should exist,” said Mr. Aufsesser. “I’m hoping for a day soon that they’ll be unnecessary.”
A representative of The Sunshine Group, John Wille, told The Ledger that the group would not be making endorsements this year. Last year, the group’s founder, Dr. Peter Treyz, was elected to the board.
All three candidates seem to want to run more of a grassroots campaign, using contacts within the community and the power of word of mouth.
“I think e-mail is going to be key, because that’s really how people communicate now,” said Ms. Harckham. “E-mail cannot be underestimated.”
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
|
