Candidates seek to lower political temperature on Southmoreland school board

Two incumbents and four challengers are seeking four seats on the Southmoreland School Board in the Nov. 4 election.

The nine-member board has been embroiled in controversy over the past two months after director Catherine Fike was accused of disclosing confidential information about a student’s mental health during the board’s Sept. 16 meeting.

The board subsequently voted to censure Fike, who has two years left in her term and is not among the candidates seeking board seats this fall.

Candidates say they are seeking to lower the political temperature among members and return the board’s focus to education.

Incumbents Brian Shipley and Stephanie Geyer are seeking reelection to four-year terms. They are being challenged by Nathan Alexander, Mellisa Moore, Bud Santimyer and David Thomas.

Moore said she, Thomas and Alexander are aligned in their commitment to maximize student potential practice fiscal responsibility.

Moore, 45, of a pension payroll administrator from East Huntingdon, is a registered Republican and has six children enrolled in the district.

She won nominations in the GOP and Democratic primaries last spring. Moore said the ongoing disputes among board members has stifled the district’s ability to make needed improvements, although she said she disagreed with recent decisions to upgrade the district’s ball fields and wants to rein in unnecessary spending.

“Their personal conflicts are skewing their judgement. You have to be adults and you can agree to disagree. This is what we should be teaching our kids,” Moore said.

Alexander, 36, of Scottdale is a field supervisor for a natural gas company and is the father of one child in the district. He said he provides fresh eyes and, along with other newcomers, can push the district towards better transparency and accountability.

A registered Republican, he won one of four GOP nominations in the spring.

“I just want to be as influential as I can be. There are two varying mindsets on the board now and they’re not willing to work together at all. There has to be someone who changes this atmosphere,” Alexander said.

Thomas, 48, of Scottdale, is a general contractor for a local construction company. He is a Republican who won nominations in both party primaries. He said he wants to refocus the board’s attention on students rather than politics and personal grievances.

“My main concern and goal is the children. I want to bring both sides (of the board) together. It’s not a political party dispute, but it’s apparent there is a lot of animosity between both sides.,” Thomas said.

He said the board needs to tackle issues involving the district’s aging infrastructure.

Santimyer, 68, of Scottdale, is one of two Democrats seeking a board seat this fall. A retired Westmoreland County tax assessor and former Scottdale council president, Santimyer ran unsuccessfully two years ago with the intent to knock Fike from the board.

Santimyer said he wants to reduce Fike’s influence on the board.

“I want there to be a better balance on the board. I don’t want there to be a majority with like-minded individuals that would keep the board in disarray,” Santimyer said. He called on a new board majority to focus on improving maintenance and upgrading facilities.

Geyer, 40, of East Huntingdon, is seeking her second four-year-term on the board. A legal secretary who is a registered Republican, she currently serves as the board’s vice president. She said she has been targeted by Fike in recent years over her desire to update the district’s curriculum and supportof needed improvements to school facilities.

Geyer said the board should make needed financial investments to continue the district’s upward trajectory.

“When I ran for school board the first time, the district wasn’t doing very well. We now have a new business manager and a new superintendent. Four years ago we wanted to make the district a better place and that’s where we are now,” Geyer said.

Shipley, a registered Democrat, did not respond to a request for an interview.

The Southmoreland School District operates four schools in East Huntingdon and Scottdale in Westmorelnad County and in Upper Tyrone and Everson in Fayette County.