Longtime Paris resident Douglas Boss has stepped up to run for a seat on the Paris School Board that until now had had no official candidates.
Boss submitted his candicacy papers last week, district administrator Roger Gahart said.
Boss will have to be elected as a write-in candidate. No one filed paperwork in time to make the regular ballot.
Longtime board member Leslie Holloway is not running for re-election.
Boss is a former Paris fire chief and lives on a farm in Paris. He is employed by Six Flags Great America. He and his wife have two children.
Local municipalities will be notified of Boss’s candidacy, Gahart said.
Write-in candidate Mike Cavalenes for Paris School Board
March 18, 2011
My name is Mike Cavalenes and I have written to you many times as Northwestern Mike. I am running as a write-in candidate for the open seat on the Paris school board. I have a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Engineering Management, both from Northwestern University. I have worked for Northrop, Motorola, Hewlett Packard, and I ran my own consulting business for several years. I am 55 years old, I am retired, and I live with my two Alaskan Malamutes, Bleys and Winnie.
Two years ago I attended a presentation for the $650,000 recurring referendum to raise property taxes. I left with more questions than answers. I then began my quest to understand Paris’ financial situation. I attended school board meetings, budget meetings, a teacher contract meeting, Annual Meetings, and FACT meetings. I shared what I learned with residents at my own expense. I asked the difficult questions. After my analysis I became a fierce community critic and a taxpayer advocate.
I have tried to influence changes through my fliers and my participation on the FACT committee. It has not been enough. Concerned citizens who have understood my reports have grasped Paris’ financial problems and have asked me to run.
I do NOT want to close the school. I want it to be more fiscally responsible. The district has been given collective bargaining tools asked for in the FACT recommendations and these should be used to make teacher contracts changes that could not be made in previous negotiation sessions.
I have created a forecasting tool to evaluate the long-term effects that we as residents face as the Revenue Limit decreases, State Aid decreases, Paris enrollment declines, Open Enrollment increases, and Post Employment Benefits accrue.
I have been thanked publicly multiple times for my efforts. Paris residents need an open honest discussion of Paris finances. If chosen, I will represent the taxpayers at the bargaining table. I know I can help.
Hey, Mikey…..