2 incumbents running for open Hempfield school board seat
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Two familiar faces will be on the November ballot for the Hempfield Area School Board after an extra seat opened up due to a resignation.
Current board members Paul Ward and Paul Adams will run for reelection after former board member Chris Rossman resigned in June due to a job relocation. The current terms for both Ward and Adams run through December.
Whoever is elected will serve the remaining two years of Rossman’s term, which runs through December 2021.
Ward, 53, originally was not going to seek reelection but decided to run after learning the position would be a two-year term. He was nominated by the Republican party.
“When Chris Rossman resigned, it was disappointing because Chris and I had gotten to know each other very well and we had similar views on a lot of issues, so I was sorry to see him go,” Ward said. “But I saw it as an opportunity to reconsider. I thought the two-year term was interesting and I decided to pursue it.”
Ward hopes to pursue the ongoing issue of the tax assessment appeal program, which was a main point for candidates during the May primary election, as well as an upcoming teacher’s contract and improvements to the high school.
“There’s ongoing discussions that started some time ago that I’m sure are going pick up steam on the high school and what to do with the high school, whether to renovate or consider a new building,” Ward said. “So those are the bigger issues on the horizon.”
Adams, 49, who was ousted from the race in May, announced his intention to run shortly after Rossman resigned. Adams secured the Democratic nomination in August.
“I think there’s so many things I’d like to see come to fruition. … I want to make sure Hempfield remains the best school in the area,” Adams said.
He added he hopes to “contribute to the board and my community in that way. That’s pretty much my only motivation for running. … We talk about things like economic development and trying to attract people to the area. If you want to get families to move to the area, you better have a good school district.”
School board candidate Mike Alfery, 49, was appointed in July to fill Rossman’s position. The board had 30 days to fill the vacancy, according to school policies. Rossman’s resignation went into effect June 23.
Alfery’s appointment to the board will expire Dec. 4.
Candidates running for Rossman’s seat will join cross-filed candidates Anthony Bompiani, Vince DeAugustine, Alfery and incumbent Jeanne Smith along with Republican candidate Jennifer Bretz and Democratic incumbent David Iwig.