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Monday
March 15, 2010 Since 1922 |
BH board hopefuls face district growth issues
By Lauren Sallee
Baytown Sun Published April 30, 2004 MONT BELVIEU — Three candidates and an incumbent for the Barbers Hill school board said they would make long-term decisions for the district to suit an expected increased enrollment.
School finance issues and continuing the district’s academic excellence are also on the agenda for board members seeking election.
Three candidates are vying for Position 2 on the board. James Donnelly, Lee Gigout III and Carmena Goss are candidates who want to fill the shoes of Lyle Malechek, whose term expires in May.
Joe Presnall is the incumbent running unopposed for Position 1. He filled an unexpired term on the board last year.
The Barbers Hill school district has 3,009 students. The district includes about 7,500 residents from Mont Belvieu, Cove, Beach City and Old River-Winfree.
James Donnelly
James Donnelly, 44, is a yardmaster at Albemarle in Pasadena. Raised in Baytown, Donnelly later moved to Mont Belvieu in 1988.
Growth is a large concern for the district and Donnelly said he intends to uphold the school’s level of educational excellence if elected to the position.
“We have to look forward to growth and keep up with it,” Donnelly said. “Now it’s time to put everything back into the classroom. The academics have to be a priority right now.”
Donnelly said if elected he would listen to the public for input on how to keep high standards in the district.
Donnelly graduated from Lee High School in 1978 and attended Lee College before going to work at Barrow Oil for 12 years.
Donnelly has worked at Albemarle for 15 years. Donnelly’s wife has taught at Barbers Hill Middle School since 1987 and their two children, Hunter and Hannah both attend Barbers Hill schools.
Lee Gigout III
Lee Gigout III, 31, is a senior operations manager for Star Furniture in Katy.
Gigout said the district must deal with the expected enrollment increase.
His first priority, he said, would be to maintain quality teaching staff and administration.
Next on his list as a board member, he said, would be to keep a consistent budget and reduce costs for the district.
“My job (as a senior operations manager) in general is set up a whole lot like the school board,” Gigout said. “How tightly they manage the money is a big deal to me and the community. Community money needs to be spent wisely on things necessary not unnecessary.”
Gigout attended college at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri where he received a bachelor of business administration in management.
Gigout said he would be an asset as a board member because his work experience ties into the board position.
As a board member, Gigout said he would work for the community and ensure that school finances are managed properly.
Carmena Goss
Carmena Goss, 59, retired in 1999 from Barbers Hill schools after 19 years as a teacher and librarian. Goss served for 29 years as an educator.
Goss ran for a school board position three years ago and lost to James Allen by 16 votes.
“My main reason (for running) is to help Barbers Hill maintain the legacy of excellence we have in the district,” Goss said.
Goss said she could bring a unique perspective to the board after having 29 years of experience in education.
Goss has been a resident of Barbers Hill since 1973.
She graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in English education and a minor in library science.
Goss received her master’s degree in library science from Sam Houston State University.
Goss has twin sons who graduated from Barbers Hill High School in 1989.
The community’s rapid growth is a large issue for the district and Goss said she wanted to make sure the board maintains the district’s values and traditions and continues to retain top quality educators during that time.
“I have time to devote to the job,” Goss said. “I’ll be an informed voter and an independent voter on the board. I think I understand children pretty well.”
Goss said she wanted to help the district make choices for today and the district’s future.
Joe Presnall
Joe Presnall, 51, is a rice farmer and filled an unexpired term on the board last year. This was Presnall’s first year on the board and he said there was quite a learning curve for filling the position.
“I feel like it is time to give back to the community,” Presnall said. “The biggest issue facing the district right now is school finance and growth in the district.”
Meeting the challenges associated with growth in the district is one of the largest issues the board faces, Presnall said.
Presnall said he enjoyed his first year serving on the board and helped in the district process to hire a new superintendent.
A lifelong resident of Cove, Presnall, graduated from Barbers Hill High School in 1971. His wife works in the district as a nurse and his son is in the eighth grade at Barbers Hill Middle School.
Presnall serves as a councilman in Cove. He is on the Trinity Bay Soil and Conservation Board, and is a director with Agriculture Land Farm Credit.
Presnall graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology.
+ + +
There are seven board members for Barbers Hill. Each serve three-year terms, with elections held each year in May.
Board members are elected by position and represent constituents within the district. The district is divided into five voting precincts that include; Precinct 4 and Precinct 10 in areas north of Interstate 10 and Precinct 5, Precinct 8 and Precinct 11 south of Interstate 10.
Voters who live in the northern precincts vote at the Barbers Hill Administration Building, at 9600 Eagle Drive. Voters in the southern precincts vote at the Cove Community Building.
Early voting began Wednesday and continues through May 11. Election day is May 15, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In Deer Park, voters will choose between Position 4 incumbent Ann Filippini, a preschool director and Lynn Kirkpatrick, a police officer for that three-year term.
Board president Ken Donnel is not being challenged in Position 5.
Baytown Sun Published April 30, 2004 MONT BELVIEU — Three candidates and an incumbent for the Barbers Hill school board said they would make long-term decisions for the district to suit an expected increased enrollment.
School finance issues and continuing the district’s academic excellence are also on the agenda for board members seeking election.
Three candidates are vying for Position 2 on the board. James Donnelly, Lee Gigout III and Carmena Goss are candidates who want to fill the shoes of Lyle Malechek, whose term expires in May.
Joe Presnall is the incumbent running unopposed for Position 1. He filled an unexpired term on the board last year.
The Barbers Hill school district has 3,009 students. The district includes about 7,500 residents from Mont Belvieu, Cove, Beach City and Old River-Winfree.
James Donnelly
James Donnelly, 44, is a yardmaster at Albemarle in Pasadena. Raised in Baytown, Donnelly later moved to Mont Belvieu in 1988.
Growth is a large concern for the district and Donnelly said he intends to uphold the school’s level of educational excellence if elected to the position.
“We have to look forward to growth and keep up with it,” Donnelly said. “Now it’s time to put everything back into the classroom. The academics have to be a priority right now.”
Donnelly said if elected he would listen to the public for input on how to keep high standards in the district.
Donnelly graduated from Lee High School in 1978 and attended Lee College before going to work at Barrow Oil for 12 years.
Donnelly has worked at Albemarle for 15 years. Donnelly’s wife has taught at Barbers Hill Middle School since 1987 and their two children, Hunter and Hannah both attend Barbers Hill schools.
Lee Gigout III
Lee Gigout III, 31, is a senior operations manager for Star Furniture in Katy.
Gigout said the district must deal with the expected enrollment increase.
His first priority, he said, would be to maintain quality teaching staff and administration.
Next on his list as a board member, he said, would be to keep a consistent budget and reduce costs for the district.
“My job (as a senior operations manager) in general is set up a whole lot like the school board,” Gigout said. “How tightly they manage the money is a big deal to me and the community. Community money needs to be spent wisely on things necessary not unnecessary.”
Gigout attended college at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri where he received a bachelor of business administration in management.
Gigout said he would be an asset as a board member because his work experience ties into the board position.
As a board member, Gigout said he would work for the community and ensure that school finances are managed properly.
Carmena Goss
Carmena Goss, 59, retired in 1999 from Barbers Hill schools after 19 years as a teacher and librarian. Goss served for 29 years as an educator.
Goss ran for a school board position three years ago and lost to James Allen by 16 votes.
“My main reason (for running) is to help Barbers Hill maintain the legacy of excellence we have in the district,” Goss said.
Goss said she could bring a unique perspective to the board after having 29 years of experience in education.
Goss has been a resident of Barbers Hill since 1973.
She graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in English education and a minor in library science.
Goss received her master’s degree in library science from Sam Houston State University.
Goss has twin sons who graduated from Barbers Hill High School in 1989.
The community’s rapid growth is a large issue for the district and Goss said she wanted to make sure the board maintains the district’s values and traditions and continues to retain top quality educators during that time.
“I have time to devote to the job,” Goss said. “I’ll be an informed voter and an independent voter on the board. I think I understand children pretty well.”
Goss said she wanted to help the district make choices for today and the district’s future.
Joe Presnall
Joe Presnall, 51, is a rice farmer and filled an unexpired term on the board last year. This was Presnall’s first year on the board and he said there was quite a learning curve for filling the position.
“I feel like it is time to give back to the community,” Presnall said. “The biggest issue facing the district right now is school finance and growth in the district.”
Meeting the challenges associated with growth in the district is one of the largest issues the board faces, Presnall said.
Presnall said he enjoyed his first year serving on the board and helped in the district process to hire a new superintendent.
A lifelong resident of Cove, Presnall, graduated from Barbers Hill High School in 1971. His wife works in the district as a nurse and his son is in the eighth grade at Barbers Hill Middle School.
Presnall serves as a councilman in Cove. He is on the Trinity Bay Soil and Conservation Board, and is a director with Agriculture Land Farm Credit.
Presnall graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology.
+ + +
There are seven board members for Barbers Hill. Each serve three-year terms, with elections held each year in May.
Board members are elected by position and represent constituents within the district. The district is divided into five voting precincts that include; Precinct 4 and Precinct 10 in areas north of Interstate 10 and Precinct 5, Precinct 8 and Precinct 11 south of Interstate 10.
Voters who live in the northern precincts vote at the Barbers Hill Administration Building, at 9600 Eagle Drive. Voters in the southern precincts vote at the Cove Community Building.
Early voting began Wednesday and continues through May 11. Election day is May 15, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In Deer Park, voters will choose between Position 4 incumbent Ann Filippini, a preschool director and Lynn Kirkpatrick, a police officer for that three-year term.
Board president Ken Donnel is not being challenged in Position 5.