KULP gives forum to school board candidates
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Brenda Sommer Prepared To Talk The four candidates for two slots on the El Campo ISD board were taking a last deep breath before Thursday's candidates round table talk on KULP Radio 1390. Checking their notes were, from left: Dr. Melissa Erwin, incumbent; Clayton Ryan; Tommy Turner, incumbent; and Paul Soechting. Erwin and Ryan are vying for Place 7 on the board, while Soechting and Turner are both running for Place 6 on the seven-member board.

The four candidates for two seats on the El Campo ISD board shared their positions and ideas with voters Thursday.

In that race, two seats are contested. In Position 6, incumbent Tommy Turner is facing challenger Paul Soechting while in Position 7, incumbent Dr. Melissa Kainer Erwin is facing Clayton Ryan.

KULP Radio 1390 AM held a live candidate roundtable discussion with those candidates at noon May 1 in El Campo City Hall. Candidates were asked to answer a series of questions from a media panel. Their responses were timed.

The district's fund balance - its savings account for emergencies and projects - was a topic candidates brought up consistently. That amount currently is between 12 and 13 percent of the district's annual operating expenses, having dropped when some of the money was set aside for ongoing repairs and renovations to Ricebird Stadium and the high school science building.

The fund balance topic was broached during the very first question, which asked when a bond proposal to replace and repair aging elementary schools should be considered.

All four candidates agreed it's too soon to consider such a bond proposal, and that the district has many pressing needs, including the dilapidated high school auditorium and rented temporary classroom buildings.

Soechting said his figures show a fund balance that needs to be built up before any kind of bond proposal is considered.

"I do think the fund balance is a little bit low," he said, noting he believes it can be built back up, but nonetheless, the issue needs to be addressed.

Incumbents Erwin and Turner defended the size of the fund balance, noting it falls within recommended guidelines, and money taken from it is being used for its intended purposes.

"Twelve percent is still within the guidelines," Erwin said, but noted its size "means we won't be able to do some of the things on our wish list."

Turner said the district had little choice but to upgrade the science building, because the state requires more science courses and labs.

"I have no doubt we'll build up the fund balance again," he said, praising the district's fiscally conservative financial administrators for consistently increasing the account over the last few years.

Ryan said some choices on using fund balance money were irresponsible.

"And the reason is the football field," he said. "I don't think a new Astroturf football field is a dire need."

Other questions queried the use of state-mandated assessment tests, which all four candidates seemed to see as a necessary evil, and the possibility of offering more than just Spanish as a foreign language, an idea all supported.

Candidates were asked if the district is doing enough for atrisk and non-college-bound students. The contenders agreed that, while no district can ever do enough, ECISD does a good job offering options and assistance at all grade levels.

The final question queried candidates on the district's pay scale. Ryan and Soechting said administrators and teachers pay should be compared to the same set of districts, not different ones for each group. Erwin and Turner said pay is a contentious subject and the board looks at a variety of data to come up with its numbers.