Penn Hills school board has 7 candidates seeking party nods to run for 4 seats

Editor’s note: The Penn Hills Progress is only spotlighting contested races in the primary election.

Penn Hills residents might see all the same school board candidates vying for nominations in the primary on the November ballot, as five out of seven people have cross-filed and just two seek only the Democratic nod to run for four seats, according to the Allegheny County Office of Elections unofficial candidate list.

Those seeking both party nominations include Lawrence Choby; Nicholas Lombardo; and incumbents Michael Tauro, Evelyn Herbert and Joseph Capozoli. Incumbent Marisa Jamison and Nicole Richardson sought only to be on the Democratic ticket.

Here are the candidates and their responses to election questions posed by the Tribune-Review:

Joseph Capozoli

• Why did you decide to run for election?

“I was appointed to the Penn Hills School Board in December 2020. I am running for election to continue as a member of the board and work with the administration in a positive way to do whatever is needed. I have been involved in the community for about 20 years as a member of the Zoning Hearing Board. Also, with my children as players on the Penn Hills hockey teams, I believe that we need to hold the line on taxes and keep providing the quality education and programs to our children that they deserve. Again, work to hold the line on taxes for all our residents.”

• What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

“One issue is, the school board is currently faced with a major issue at the high school and elementary school buildings. After about eight years, the boilers must be replaced. This could cost as much as $1 million or more. It is imperative that training and maintenance of these systems be completed and monitored properly and timely on an ongoing basis. It is our responsibility to assure that all aspects of this project be completed properly.”

• What should voters know about you?

“I am a current member of the Penn Hills school board since being appointed to fill a vacancy in December 2020. I have been a member of the Penn Hills Zoning Hearing Board for about 20 years. I am a retired state auditor after 27 years of service. I am a longtime resident of Penn Hills. I will work to hold the line on taxes.”

Lawrence Choby

• Why did you decide to run for election?

“I decided to run for the school board after reading the grand jury reports that described several instances of poor judgment by the school board. The mistakes made during the development and construction of the new Penn Hills schools put an unnecessary burden on all taxpayers and resulted in such a lack of confidence in the Penn Hills ability to run its affairs that a master had to be appointed by the state Department of Education. I intend to provide a perspective that would help avoid these types of issues going forward. I fully intend to attend every board meeting.”

• What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

“The largest constraint placed on the Penn Hills Schools and the community at large is financial. The inability of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to adequately financially support education, places a huge obligation on so many taxpayers with a fixed income. In a community with an aging population, Penn Hills retirees are carrying an unnecessary burden. So, all the issues: funding of charter schools especially cyber, facility and property management, staffing, and most importantly curriculum must be evaluated in terms of affordability to the Penn Hills residents.”

• What should voters know about you?

“I moved to Penn Hills in the fall of 1987 and have lived in the same house with my wife, Pam, since.

I like Penn Hills for its diversity, convenience to Pittsburgh, and recreation, health care and educational opportunities. I have bachelor’s degrees in sociology, accounting and a master’s in public health from Pitt. I retired in 2017 as chief financial officer at Asbury Heights a life care community in Mount Lebanon, now affiliated with UPMC.

“In 2019-20 I was one of six census field managers who oversaw 1,500 enumerators and supervisors in Allegheny County, including many from Penn Hills, complete at 100% the 2020 decennial census. The participation of the Penn Hills community was as good as, and in many cases much better than, other communities in the county. Also, I have developed grant applications and completed performance reviews for health care and social welfare organizations locally and nationally.”

Evelyn Herbert

• Why did you decide to run for election?

“I’m running for reelection because there is unfinished business.”

• What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

“The biggest issue for me is we require more government funding in the public school system in order to adequately educate and keep the kids safe, pay for essential maintenance, keep teachers from using their own money on classroom supplies, etc., and for the board to not feel pressured to raise taxes.”

• What should voters know about you?

“Voters should know that I am passionate about the future of our children’s education.”

Marisa Jamison

• Why did you decide to run for election?

“I have been a part of the Penn Hills School Board since October, 2020. I have had the opportunity to see the value and importance of a strong and effective board. The board must be effective and responsive to the children and the parents of the district. I have decided to run for election to allow me to continue working and advocating for the education of all the children in our district.

“My efforts as a board member would be to continue to provide my knowledge and experience working with children who have mental health concerns. Oftentimes, our children need mental health supports in place while they are in school. Having been employed with Western Psychiatric Hospital for 20 years, I have the knowledge regarding community based programs to help those children in need.”

• What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

“A key issue to address is diversity. The professional staff does not reflect portions of the student body that is being served. It is important for the Board to map out a concrete diversity plan that provides the necessary opportunities students need to reach their full potential. This plan should include hiring of teachers, counselors and administrators who can bring that diversity to the district.

“I feel having a more diverse staff would be beneficial for children and parents. I wholeheartedly feel that the district has tremendous teachers and staff working with our children. A more diverse staff can only add more positivity and understanding of all that are served by the Penn Hills School District.”

• What should voters know about you?

“Voters should know that I am a 20-year resident of Penn Hills. I have twin daughters who graduated from Penn Hills High School in 2012. I have a strong and extensive background in mental health, which consist of working with children and adults with mental illness. I am currently employed with Western Psychiatric Hospital and Mercy Behavioral Health. I have obtained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.”

Nicholas Lombardo

Lombardo could not be reached for comment.

Nicole Richardson

• Why did you decide to run for election?

“I decided to run for school board to bring a parent perspective to the table. The district has a lot of potential to build on to ensure successful outcomes of our students. I look forward to having the opportunity to be a voice for our students, faculty and staff and to work as a collective board to move the district forward.”

• What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

“There is still a need to ensure that the district is fiscally responsible in a way that will increase the outcomes of our school community. A hard look at the school budget and recovery plan to ensure that we continue to move forward to put the district in the best possible position to address the challenges when they arise so the district doesn’t find itself in a crippling position.”

• What should voters know about you?

“Not only am I a parent of two Penn Hills students, I also have over 15 years of experience working with balancing budgets within the public and nonprofit sectors. I have worked in school districts within Allegheny County and understand the needs of our students. I am known for building positive relationships with my partners and within my community. I see so much promise for the Penn Hills School District and look forward to having the opportunity to serve you all.”

Michael Tauro

• Why did you decide to run for election?

“I’m a voice for the community, Democrat, Republican and Independent. I want to cut out frivolous spending, keep the taxes low or affordable and the students have a curriculum like private schools and Central Catholic. I want to try and keep that.”

• What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

“I believe we have to have students come back to Penn Hills School District rather than go to charter schools. We need to ask the community why they are using charter schools. We spend almost $10 million a year to pay charter schools. They should be a choice like Catholic schools. We do not want to tax our residents out of their homes. We’re keeping taxes the same, not raising them as the (Chief Recovery Officer Dan Matsook) from the state suggests.”

• What should voters know about you?

“I’ve been here 67 years. I wish I would have gotten involved in this school board before they built two schools to cause us to get into $180 million in debt. I have an associate’s degree in specialized technology from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. I’m a chef by trade.”