Election 2013 | Two islanders vie for school board

Justin Paulsen is running against incumbent Tony Ghazel; county puts charter amendment on ballot

Three positions on the Orcas Island School Board are on the ballot for the Nov. 5 election. Ballots will be mailed out on Oct. 18.

Chris Sutton and Scott Lancaster are up for re-election unopposed while Justin Paulsen is running against incumbent Tony Ghazel for the director two position.

Also on the ballot is a change to the charter amendment. See the story on page six for more about the proposition.

The Islands’ Sounder asked Ghazel and Paulsen the following questions.

Tony Ghazel


Sounder: Why are you running for re-election?

Ghazel: I strongly believe that education is what defines a community, and serving in the capacity of a school board director allows me to be at the forefront of advocating for that belief.  We need to ensure that we create conditions in which our children and staff can succeed, and that everyone involved in the education of our children is appreciated and held to a high standard.  We must not fail the children in our charge.  I want to build on our successes of the past few years and also continue advocating on behalf of our children at the state level in pursuit of full funding of basic education.

S: What have you learned while serving on the school board?

G: On the Orcas school board there are five hardworking, dedicated and passionate individuals and each wants the best for our children and staff. You learn, however, that sometimes you don’t agree on how that gets accomplished. So you do your homework, respect others’ passion, negotiate, reason, compromise and then, when you get consensus, you support the whole board’s decision.

I also learned that when you build trust amongst your peers and add perseverance and dedication, you have a successful formula for getting a lot accomplished and making a difference. At the end of the day you create conditions where children and staff can succeed.

S: What experience do you bring to the position?

G: I have been an effective school board director serving twice as chairman, twice as vice-chairman, two years as the state’s athletic liaison, six years as state legislative liaison and currently serve as the vice-chairman of the Washington State School Directors’ Association Legislative Committee. I also served on the budget advisory committee, was actively involved in the passage of the 2005, 2011 and the 2012 bond elections, maintenance and operation levies and a 2012 tech levy.

I served as Education Foundation treasurer for three years and have been president and a board member of the Orcas Lions Club. I also own and operate a technology consulting business and am an electrical contractor.

S: If re-elected, what are your goals?

G: Firstly, my goal is to serve our children and their families by providing robust curriculum including music and athletic programs to empower our children to succeed in whatever career path they choose.

Secondly, I will continue being a careful steward of the public’s funds by passing sensible budgets, completing within budget the revamping of the 1980’s buildings, and achieving a healthy fund balance.

Thirdly, to engage our community and our local legislators: Senator Kevin Ranker and Representatives Kristine Lytton and Jeff Morris, who have supported us on many occasions to eventually gain full funding for basic education which includes better compensation for our faculty and staff.

S: How do you feel the school construction and renovation projects have been going?

G: Since I became a school board member we have successfully completed, within budget, five renovation and construction projects totaling around $4 million in bonds and grants.

1. We revamped the bathrooms and locker rooms in the old gym and performed campus-wide upgrades.

2. Replaced the high school building roof and upgraded stairs and landings and more.

3. We revamped the heating and plumbing systems in the elementary building.

4.  We replaced the siding, windows and repaired water damage at the high school building.

5. On Waldron we fixed the roof, revamped the foundation, straightened out the structure and repaired the well and pump buildings.

Justin Paulsen

Sounder: Why are you running for election?

Paulsen: The board needs a member familiar with capital improvement projects that is willing and able to demand the highest level of accountability on behalf of the public. Our community places enormous trust in the school district to develop and execute plans and policy; the district owes the community effective and efficient leadership. I have been actively involved with, and affected by, the budget and planning process over the past several years. It’s my hope that I can contribute to the district being more accountable and trustworthy as it executes its operations in the future.

S: What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the board?

P: I applaud the current board’s ability to weather a period of under-funding by the state.  This board made some very difficult decisions in the face of heightened public awareness and concern.  That said, I believe the board needs to more effectively solicit and recognize community concerns and be more proactive in its scrutiny of actual district operations. Additionally, as state funding for education increases in the coming years, it is critical that we not only ensure that additional resources are obligated and executed appropriately, but that our long-term obligations are accounted for and met.

S: What experience do you bring to the position?

P: While I believe my extensive work in construction, project management and public works provides me with a unique and essential viewpoint, I think the most important traits I bring to the table are a fresh perspective and a willingness to speak up and raise questions on behalf of the community at large. When serving on organizational boards in our community in the past, I have always considered it my job to challenge the organization to identify, set and achieve goals and then ensure that the appropriate tools are available for success.

S: If elected, what are your goals?

P: I would like to increase the transparency of district deliberations and hold the board accountable to the children, families and voters they serve. We need to amend the process by which we receive, acknowledge and consider inputs from all stakeholders in the district. If elected, I will spearhead the implementation of a process to prioritize objectives, match resources to requirements, evaluate plans, evaluate execution and anticipate future needs.

S: How do you feel the school construction and renovation projects have been going?

P: I am pleased to see the district making badly needed improvements. I believe the current bond planning is being executed according to a proper process. However, I am not pleased with the actual execution of recent projects. Critical policies required to keep our students safe and the district’s liability minimized during execution were either ignored or insufficient; either case is inexcusable. To be blunt, the children, their families and the community cannot afford negligence or incompetence during execution that puts children’s safety and the community’s financial security at risk.

Election forums

The League of Women Voters invites the public to the following forums.

Lopez Island

Thursday, Oct. 10 at Grace Episcopal Church, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will cover charter amendment, tax levy for solid waste, school board, fire district and port.

Orcas Island

Monday, Oct. 14, Eastsound Fire Hall, 5:30-6:30 p.m., will cover charter amendment; Orcas PTSA School Board forum, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.