Hoover City Schools
Eight Hoover residents have applied to fill a coming vacancy on the Hoover City Schools Board of Education.
Applicants for the position are R. Maxwell (Max) Harbuck Jr., Doug Hildreth, Craig Kelley, Guy L. Locker, Kadie Whatley Peters, Stephanie N. Schambeau, Arnold A. Singer and Terry D. Turner Jr.
Current Board of Education member Paulette Pearson announced last month she would not seek reappointment. Her current five-year term expires in 2014. Terms for the five members of the HCS Board of Education members are staggered so one position comes up for reappointment each year.
The Hoover City Council will likely select a candidate during one of its regular meetings in April, the first of which is scheduled for April 7 at 6 p.m.
Below, find additional information from each applicant’s submission for the position.
Arnold A. Singer
Occupation: Retired
Resident of: Riverhaven Place
Community Service: Vice-president of programming for Friends of Hoover, secretary for Hoover Metro Kiwanis, board member and photographer for the Hoover Historical Society, stage manager for Celebrate Hoover Day, COA board member with The Overlook on Riverhaven COA.
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: While I do not possess any degree or certification in accounting, I am experienced in reading and understanding financial statements, appended notes and auditor recommendations. HCS can not sustain the almost annual budget deficits and dwindling cash balances. I was part of a group that spent over 200 hours examining HCS budgets and we identified numerous items for review and consideration falling in the broad categories of: Programs, Personnel, Policy, Students, Non-School Based and Budget Practices. The recommendations implemented as a result of the previous Task Force produced a budget balance for one year before an unbroken string of deficit budgets.
Stephanie N. Schambeau
Occupation: Insurance coordinator at Schambeau Dental Care
Resident of: Butler Springs Way
Community Service: Junior League of Birmingham, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Hunter Street Baptist Church member
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: The lack of communication is a primary concern of mine between the School Board, school administrators and parents. There needs to be a team approach instead of the “us” against them approach that I see now.
Terry D. Turner Jr.
Occupation: Partner with Gentle, Turner, Sexton, Debrosse & Harbison
Resident of: Carisbrooke Circle
Community Service: Hoover Rotary Club, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce - Legal Counsel, Aldridge Gardens - Board Member and Legal Counsel, Hoover Board of Zoning Adjustments - Board Member, Hoover Visions Committee, Bluff Park Neighborhood Association Board Member, Bluff Park United Methodist Church Community Ministries Foundation - Board Member, Coached for Hoover Soccer and Flag Football Teams
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: The most critical issue facing the School Board appears to be a financial one — running at a projected $17 Million deficit this year and keeping adequate reserves for future years. I believe my educational background in accounting and finance, my work experience from managing a Hoover law practice, and my preparing and analyzing budgets for clients in the millions of dollars gives me the experience necessary to assist the Superintendent and the rest of the School Board with operating a successful school system.
R. Maxwell (Max) Harbuck Jr.
Occupation: Managing partner with Pittman Financial Partners
Resident of: Freestone Ridge Cove
Community Service: Ross Bridge Advisory Committee member, Executive Producer and Host of weekly hour long television show devoted exclusively to promoting high school student athletes and coaches, Board member of the Over The Mountain Touchdown Club, sponsor of the annual Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: The most critical issues facing the Hoover School system are financial responsibility and accountability. The other critical issue we face is growth. I believe my skills of managing and operating my own financial services firm and the practice of helping business owner clients address some of their business problems has prepared me for the problems facing our school system. I am a very practical, common sense type person that can work well with other Board members to solve these problems with all the parties involved. I feel strongly the importance of building a good, solid working relationship with our City leaders so that the School Board and the City are all working together. My relationship building skills will hopefully help build alliances within our community.
Doug Hildreth
Occupation: Furniture Manager at Big Lots
Resident of: Riverchase Parkway West
Community Service: Youth and Adult Sunday School Teacher, Church Camp Counselor, Church Fall Festival Activity Leader, Committee Member Boy Scouts of America Troop 93 Hoover, Assistant Venture Leader Troop 93, Boy Scout Summer Camp Counselor
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: The most critical issues facing the Hoover City Schools system are finding a balance between quality education and available resources. Restraint must be exercised when making decisions based on desired outcomes and dollars. A growing population and increasing student participants calls for a very judicial decision process of how to get more results with less income. Businesses face this dilemma daily if not moment by moment. There needs to be mechanisms in place for a quicker response to growth/income needs. Serious consideration needs to be performed in evaluating wants and needs. Matrices don't always provide an accurate picture of what has or will take place. I don't believe a school system should respond to and make decisions primarily on an evaluated outcome.
Craig Kelley
Occupation: Vice-President of Dunkin-Lewis, Inc.
Resident of: Lake Crest Circle
Community Service: Board member with Hoover Parks and Recreation Board
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: In my opinion many state and municipal governments face challenging times in the future. Hoover must be prepared for cost-share changes and proration with our state and federal government as well as possible changes to our tax base. We must manage a variable revenue stream to continue to fund a very safe and productive educational environment for our children's education. The Hoover School Board must oversee the priority of needs for our limited funding and lobby our City Council and Mayor for the funds needed and be able to defend the Board 's position. Should revenue become more limited the Board must be fiscally responsible as they shift priorities and if necessary initiate cuts in areas less likely to affect the safety of our children and the education they receive. Our instructors must remain as qualified as possible and the Hoover School Board must stay involved with the qualifications necessary to insure the best instructors possible.
Guy L. Locker
Occupation: Assistant Operations Manager with Southwest Water, Inc.
Resident of: Shelterwood Circle
Community Service: Chairman of the Hoover Board of Zoning Adjustment, active member in Prince of Peace Catholic Church, volunteer with Hoover High School Band
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: Budget is absolutely the most critical issue facing HCS today. If budget deficits are not controlled quickly, HCS risks financial disaster and even State takeover. Unfortunately, that's the only State help that is a certainty. Revenues need to be optimized, but spending has to be optimized as well. My experience running a successful engineering firm would help me in assessing financial decisions with the Board.
Kadie Whatley Peters
Occupation: Director of Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities with United Way of Central Alabama
Resident of: Shadybrook Lane
Community Service: Through employment, works with a variety of stakeholders and organizations focused on improving the health in Central Alabama, member of Jefferson County Participation Board
The most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools: I believe the most critical issues facing Hoover City Schools are budget and fiscal management that is sustainable and will accommodate the needs of all Hoover City School children to obtain a quality education.
