Tim Morgan and John Ross, candidates for CMS Board District 6 held their last candidate forum before Tuesday’s election tonight in the Thornhill Neighborhood. The air was crisp and so were the questions from a neighborhood that has felt left out over the years. Even though the turnout was low passion ran deep with this group of interested voters. Both candidates were asked several times by attendees “how do we know we can trust you?” Thornhill resident Danny Paulson stressed the fact that Thornhill residents had been lied to many times by school board members and that what is needed most is honesty and accountability.
Both candidates were cordial and agreed on many issues, including the fact that voters not only need to look closely at this election but also ahead to the at-large elections in 2 years. Tim Morgan made the point several times that not only should voters look hard at this week’s election but they should also be considering candidates for the 2011 at-large election, since 3 of the at-large board members come from the Myers Park area instead of the suburban areas where most of the growth is occurring.
The Thornhill neighborhood has been shuffled around by CMS over the past several years, changing more than any other Ballantyne neighborhood. “It was not until Ken Gjertsen came on board that Thornhill finally had a great advocate” stated Danny at the meeting.
John Ross stated that student assignment, budget concerns and safety are his primary concerns. As a father of six young children, 3 of which are already in the CMS system he wants to see more accountability and better planning. Ross’s position is that discussions need to take place within the communities before decisions are made, instead of after.
Tim Morgan, a former Thornhill resident that moved his family because of the district re-assignment, echoed Ross’s concerns for accountability. One of his priorities would be student assignments and he believes that the board should look at more than just the numbers and look at transportation cost and not splitting up neighborhoods.
“Student assignment should be logical,”
stated Tim Morgan.
Both candidates seemed to agree that neighborhood schools were the way to go and that bussing was a thing of the past. When asked why they should be be considered by voters John Ross stated that his experience in managing people and dealing with regulatory issues on a daily basis more than qualified him for this position, stating that he “feels you must leave this world a little better than you found it”. Tim Morgan bases his extensive experience on local boards as the best reason to vote for him. “I have been through the battles” describing his tenure on various local boards “and I can stand up to an weather them, I will not lie to you.”
One thing is for sure both candidates are passionate about this position and when elected will have to answer to an equally passionate group of residents in the Thornhill neighborhood. Don’t forget to vote this Tuesday, polls open at 6:30am and close at 7:00pm.
