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Ex-Solon mayor gets on school board
(by Sue Hoffman - November 11, 2011)
Ex-Solon mayor gets on school board
By SUE HOFFMAN
Former Mayor Kevin C. Patton and incumbents Julie S. Glavin and Dorothy R. Seibert captured voter support in Tuesday's election for three seats on the Solon Board of Education.
Mr. Patton, who was Solon mayor from 1997 to 2009, received 3,601 votes in the seven-way race, according to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Mrs. Glavin had the highest vote tally of 4,285, and Mrs. Seibert received 3,527 votes.
Other candidates included former Solon Mayor Robert A. Paulson, with 2,469 votes, followed by newcomers John Heckman, with 1,873 votes, Ken Myers, with 1,701 votes, and Chris Bryant, with 1,483 votes. Mr. Paulson had lost his bid for a school board seat in 2007 by 10 votes to Roger Goudy, who did not run for re-election this year.
Mr. Patton thanked Solon residents for their vote of confidence. "There was a good field of candidates. I'm pleased to have been part of the slate," he said. "They were well qualified and well intended."
As he said in his campaign, Mr. Patton reiterated his interest in working with the two incumbents who were re-elected. "They're two wonderful candidates who have done a lot for the schools," he said.
"I can't tell you how grateful I am to the citizens of Solon and Glenwillow for their continued support and vote of confidence," Mrs. Glavin said.
Like Mr. Patton, Mrs. Glavin, who is school board president, complimented all the candidates. "Every person individually decided to run a positive campaign. I encourage them to stay committed and stay involved," she said.
"Kevin Patton will be an excellent addition to the board," Mrs. Seibert said. "With his resume and background, he brings a lot to the table," she said, including his experience as a teacher at a community college. "He will be an excellent team member with the administration and board," she said.
"I'm thrilled Julie was re-elected," Mrs. Seibert said. "She has done an excellent job, and I'm glad the community recognized her."
During the campaign, Mr. Patton pointed out his collaborative work with the school board over the years. In 2010, he served as chairman of the school levy campaign, which garnered 66 percent approval at the ballot, and he participated in the annual strategic planning committee meetings during his time as mayor.
Mrs. Glavin, now completing her eighth year on the school board, and Mrs. Seibert, who's finishing her sixth four-year term, had stressed the importance of vigilance regarding school funding. They discussed the district's successful grassroots efforts to regain much of the funding that was lost in the governor's budget proposal last spring. They also pointed out the district's achievement as one of the top performers in the state while reducing permanent spending by more than $6 million since 2005.
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