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LWV LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

Smart Voter
Hamilton County, OH November 4, 2003 Election
Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
Board Member; Mariemont City School District


The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

See below for questions on Top Priority, Use of facilities

Click on a name for other candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.


1. How would you implement your top priority?

Answer from Ken R. White:

As one vote in 5 on the BOE, I would be concerned that spending is now budgeted to grow at over 6% per year while revenue only grows by 2% per year. We must cut spending growth or face bigger and more frequest school levies. On a second front, the Mariemont School Foundation is a charitable group allowed to support academic and facility goals. We need to seek their help for nontraditional funding.

Answer from Marie C. (Caroselli) Huenefeld:

Educating our children to reach their full potential is our primary responsibility. To provide a quality education, we must attract and retain outstanding teachers. Our compensation package needs to be competitive and the work environment desirable. It is essential that we continue to evaluate and update our curriculum. Effective testing insures that we are able to identify individual student strengths and weaknesses. It is our responsibility to provide appropriate resources to meet needs of all of our students.

Answer from Rick Koehler:

The goal of passing our levy is being achieved by educating a grassroots group of citizens about our needs and school funding. My role as a board member is then to answer questions and assure the community of accurate information.


2. How can the School Board work with local government and the community on use of school facilities for after school programs and recreations?

Answer from Rick Koehler:

Our school board is extremely interested in working with neighboring communities for cooperative use of our facilities. We open our computer lab in the evenings and our indoor pool on off-school hours. We also make available our year round football/soccer/lacrosse field to many groups for a nominal charge, as well as a large meeting room to a local church. We try to `give back to the community' whenever possible.

Answer from Marie C. (Caroselli) Huenefeld:

The Mariemont School District has a long tradition of making its facilities available to the community. PTO's and recreation commissions have used school facilities for many years. School libraries have been opened to the community to provide access to district computers. The MariElders, a senior citizens center was located in district buildings for 12 years until they found a home of their own. (We provide bus transportation to senior citizens for their special events.) School facilities are home to such events as Town Meetings and Pancake Suppers.

Answer from Ken R. White:

I believe that school facilities should be available to the local government and community. The requirement for use should be that an organized group (recreation sports association or community group) be responsible for the events, medical release forms for participants and supervision of the events. After school events should be encouraged but not under the legal responsibility of the district.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. The answers will not exceed 75 words. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.


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Created: December 19, 2003 15:09 PST
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