I’m officially on the ballot for Seat 3!

Vote by May 19th!

Long ago, I was a spectator at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC.  The finish is at the Marine Corps War Memorial, atop a small knoll.  For the runners, this means that they have to run up a short, steep hill at the end of the 26-mile course to reach the finish line.  I was one of perhaps 5,000 spectators near the finish; I was standing at the foot of the hill, looking up at the memorial.

The race attracts a number of wheelchair athletes.  A wheelchail has no gears; like a bicycle it will roll down a hill backwards but unlike a bicycle the athlete cannot shift to an easier gear.

I remember watching from my vantage point as an older athlete rolled to the foot of the hill.  He was clearly exhausted and had given everything he had to go the distance.  He started to go up the hill; gained maybe 6 inches, and rolled back down.  He tried again, again he rolled back.  By now some of us near the foot of the hill were watching this great, valiant effort.  The third time he tried, someone started to cheer.  Still, the athlete rolled back down.  But the next time he pushed forward, perhaps a dozen people took up the cheer, and this time, he didn’t roll back….  Instead, he rolled forward another 6 inches.  More spectators took up the cheer.  Soon, all of us were cheering, chanting, screaming in unison as this one man continued his struggle up the hill.

This one athlete rolled up the hill, gathering strength and speed, with 5,000 people cheering, clapping, screaming.  The joy on his face was visible and infectious.

I’ve never forgotten that moment.  People working together, supporting each other, can transcend despair, transform it into joy and success.

The budget crisis will take up much of the board’s time for the next year or two.  We’re in a long-term recession; no doubt about that.  Jobs are scarce, people are out of work, tax revenues are down.

As an engineer I’ve spent my entire professional life finding practical solutions to real problems.  Engineering is the ultimate reality show; those who cannot design and build what the customer needs for a price he can afford will go out of business.  The art of engineering starts with determining the needs, the budget, and the timeline, and proceeds to design and construction.  There is no second place; either the structure works as designed and meets the customer’s needs, or it doesn’t.

In 1996 I started my own engineering business in Beaufort, South Carolina.  Over the next 8 years, I built that business up to an 8 person firm that was the third largest in the area.

I learned to balance budgets, to plan for lean times during the rich times, to survive during the lean times.  I learned the difference between wishful thinking and proper planning.  These skills are applicable to any business or organization.  These are the skills I bring to the 4J School Board.

I have decided to run for Seat 3 for the 4J District School Board.  This is a decision not made lightly.  I have two children in 4J schools and a full life.  I feel that I have something to contribute; knowledge, an outlook honed by 50 years of travel, study, a striving for personal improvement, and a deep desire to give to the community.

I can be reached via the Contact Me tab.