In January, Joseph Wauldron noticed only two candidates were running for two open seats on the Board of Education.
‘I thought, I’ll make it three, to make it interesting,? he said.
Wauldron, a ‘young 65,? is now one of four candidates on the ballot for the May 8 election.
Why should voters select him for school board?
‘Because I’m good looking,? he said.
Also, his expertise as a retired auditor will help the district through ongoing budget problems, he said.
‘I’m open minded. I have no agenda to bring to the board,? he said. ‘I won’t say, ‘this is what we need to do.? I’ll weigh the pros and cons of all issues.?
If elected, he wants to meet with principals, teachers, and parents to find out their concerns and problems. Then he would bring them to the board for discussion, he said.
Wauldron moved to Independence Township two years ago with his wife, Beverly, to be closer to their daughter, Jill Leider. His grandchildren will soon be students in the Clarkston school system.
‘That’s why I got involved,? Joe Wauldron said.
He moved here from Royal Oak, where he was active with schools and local government. He volunteered with the school budget committee in the 1980s and early 1990s and worked on issues such as bond issues and Proposal A.
‘Homeowners wanted it because it would reduce their property taxes, but teachers and schools were against it because they would lose revenue,? he said.
In Independence Township, he has been active with Clarkston Area Youth Association, Rotary Club, and his homeowners association.
Major issues facing Clarkston schools is the budget, he said.
‘A half million dollar deficit ? it will be hard to get rid of that,? he said. ‘We need to reduce the cost of the buildings themselves within the school system.?
Transferring the former South Sashabaw Elementary School building on Maybee Road to Independence Township, for use as an interim senior center, would be one way to do that, he said.
‘The schools have that building on the books. That costs money,? he said. ‘Why not sell or lease it to the township for a dollar, and have the senior center take it over?
‘That would get it off the books,? he said.
Administration and teacher costs should be dealt with a contract negotiation time, currently ongoing, he said.
‘The schools? biggest asset is the kids,? he said. ‘Teachers I have talked to are very much into education. The kids are very well rounded in their education, and prepared to go on to college.
‘I’d like to see them come back and support the community, start a business, raise a family.?
Many problems with the district’s budget are caused by decisions made at the national and state level. For one thing, the state is not using lottery revenue purely for schools, as it promised, he said.
‘That money goes into the general fund,? Wauldron said. ‘It’s mixed in, so you don’t know where it goes.?
The sluggish economy has meant less state funding of schools, he said.
‘It’s the global economy, hurting the state of Michigan,? he said. ‘You can lobby all you want. You can only squeeze so much out of a turnip.?
School officials can’t make solid decisions until state budget issues are settled, he said.
‘Once the state budget is balanced, we’ll see what’s left over ? then we can squabble over it,?
Consolidation of school services, suggested by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in her State of the State address, makes sense, as long as it doesn’t mean combining school districts themselves.
‘Parents would be upset, teachers would be upset,? he said. ‘What would happen to the school buildings??
Other ways to save money should be considered, he said.
With rising fuel costs, Clarkston is implementing a new busing program to reduce transportation costs. Elimination of the busing program is an idea that should also be considered, Wauldron said.
‘School buses use a lot of fuel ? it’s a big expense,? he said. ‘Could parents be forced to drive their students to school? It’s a good question ? it’s a toss up.?
Wauldron grew up in Detroit, attended Cooley High School and the University of Detroit, earning a degree in business administration..
He served in the U.S. Army from 1961-1964. He was almost deployed to Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. As part of the Army Reserves, he was called up during the Detroit Race Riots in 1967.
After the Army, he owned businesses in the interior-design and office-supply industries for about 20 years, then worked as an auditor until he retired in 2006.
Wauldron joins challengers Edward Pierz and Cheryl McGinnis, and incumbent Barry Bomier in the campaign for two open seats on the Clarkston Board of Education. The election is set for May 8.