How can North Carolina’s fourth-largest school district move forward after a $45 million budget crisis? That’s the ultimate question for the 37 candidates running for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ Board of Education.That includes the packed District 2 Republican ticket. District 2 covers everywhere in Forsyth County that’s not Winston-Salem, including towns like Clemmons, Rural Hall, Kernersville, and more. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereThere are ten candidates running as District 2 Republicans, three of whom are current school board members seeking re-election: Susan Miller, Steve Wood, and Robert Barr. The other seven are newcomers in the race, making appeals to voters about how they would secure a better financial future for WS/FCS.Securing that future means being detail-oriented for radio show host and entrepreneur Jill Nelson Berlin.“A lot of people were left in the dark, so I think first and foremost, we got to go line by line,” she said. “We’ve got to break it down and make sure that everything that is being spent is accounted for, and we need a lot of checks and balances.”Former software writer and math teacher Allen Daniel speaks at most school board meetings. Now he wants to be on the other side of the podium, making budget decisions.“Every day, every meeting, every finance committee meeting, when a request comes, the first answer has to be ‘no,’” Daniel said. “And then they have to be—whoever’s asking for it—has to be able to share their source of revenue.”Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.Former Guilford County teacher Derrick Hinson says when it comes to the budget, board members can’t stay silent.“We deserve them to speak up. If something is wrong and they see it, then they must speak out against it,” he said. “And so, again, to go through a budget with a fine-tooth comb and to understand to be cost-efficient for taxpayers and to do us right.”Lifelong resident and combat veteran Zach Hubbard says basic economics apply even to a budget as large as WS/FCS’s.“You only have so much coming in. You can only send so much out. When you get past that, problems start happening,” Hubbard said. “We see that happen. For me and you, it’d be repo a car or credit score goes bad. We have to be transparent. We have to look at the numbers.”Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsThe district’s $45 million budget crisis is why former accountant Tracy Lesser got in the race. She says layers of protection are needed to keep the budget on track.“We need to make sure that we have internal controls in place. We need to have policies and procedures in place,” she said. “We need to make sure that we are actually having budget to actual financial statements—meaningful budget to actual financial statements.”Retired Army officer Robert Weiss worked in corporate finance and management in his second career. He says additional audits and auditors are needed in the district.“An independent, outside auditor, be employed by the Board of Education—not by the school or the system—but by the board and reporting to the board,” he said.James Williams worked in audit and compliance. He says expenses should be the primary focus of the budget.“We’re going to have to make some hard decisions as a group to figure out how do we get out of this mess?” Williams said. “We can’t raise taxes. The county pays us, the state pays us, so there’s only limited ways we can make money, so we have to control the expenses.”Coming out of the budget crisis, these District 2 Republicans say regaining the community’s trust means discussing issues out in the open.“Instead of hiding behind your desk or hiding behind a computer, or hiding behind some text message on a cell phone, meet face to face with teachers, with parents,” Berlin said. “These are the boots on the ground.”“You cannot regain trust by hiding or by saying things are better than they are, because sooner or later, the truth is going to come out,” Daniel said. “And as they say, if you always tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said.”“I am going to make it a point to go out and visit schools and to go to schools and to meet admin, to build relationships with admin, to let them know that I’m in their corner, that I’m pulling for them,” Hinson said.“If you’re discussing school board stuff, it should be at the meeting. Don’t do it behind closed doors. We need to know what’s going on,” Hubbard said. “We need to let our teachers be teachers again, not let our teachers be a pawn in a political game between both sides.”Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts“There are still going to be continued fallout,” Lesser said. “And so I think by our responses to the challenges, our transparency and accountability to the issues, and making sure that the public is aware of anything.”“Board members are liable to do things to make sure that the financial things are done properly and clearly,” Weiss said. “In these cases, none of that was done. So, I think, the forensic audit is crucial.”“Being open to the questions in the meeting, being civil to people, it seems to be a lost art nowadays—civility. So I think it’s just being—making ourselves available, either through the meetings or outside the meetings,” Williams said. “People have questions; we need to be open to their questions and their concerns.”Only four of the ten Republican candidates in District 2 will advance to the November general election.You can watch the full interviews with all of the District 2 Republican candidates by clicking on their name below:Jill Nelson BerlinAllen DanielDerrick HinsonZachary HubbardTracy LesserRobert WeissJames WilliamsYou can also read their responses to WXII 12’s WS/FCS Board Candidate Questionnaire below:NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |
How can North Carolina’s fourth-largest school district move forward after a $45 million budget crisis? That’s the ultimate question for the 37 candidates running for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ Board of Education.
That includes the packed District 2 Republican ticket. District 2 covers everywhere in Forsyth County that’s not Winston-Salem, including towns like Clemmons, Rural Hall, Kernersville, and more.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here
There are ten candidates running as District 2 Republicans, three of whom are current school board members seeking re-election: Susan Miller, Steve Wood, and Robert Barr. The other seven are newcomers in the race, making appeals to voters about how they would secure a better financial future for WS/FCS.
Securing that future means being detail-oriented for radio show host and entrepreneur Jill Nelson Berlin.
“A lot of people were left in the dark, so I think first and foremost, we got to go line by line,” she said. “We’ve got to break it down and make sure that everything that is being spent is accounted for, and we need a lot of checks and balances.”
Former software writer and math teacher Allen Daniel speaks at most school board meetings. Now he wants to be on the other side of the podium, making budget decisions.
“Every day, every meeting, every finance committee meeting, when a request comes, the first answer has to be ‘no,’” Daniel said. “And then they have to be—whoever’s asking for it—has to be able to share their source of revenue.”
Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.
Former Guilford County teacher Derrick Hinson says when it comes to the budget, board members can’t stay silent.
“We deserve them to speak up. If something is wrong and they see it, then they must speak out against it,” he said. “And so, again, to go through a budget with a fine-tooth comb and to understand to be cost-efficient for taxpayers and to do us right.”
Lifelong resident and combat veteran Zach Hubbard says basic economics apply even to a budget as large as WS/FCS’s.
“You only have so much coming in. You can only send so much out. When you get past that, problems start happening,” Hubbard said. “We see that happen. For me and you, it’d be repo a car or credit score goes bad. We have to be transparent. We have to look at the numbers.”
Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts
The district’s $45 million budget crisis is why former accountant Tracy Lesser got in the race. She says layers of protection are needed to keep the budget on track.
“We need to make sure that we have internal controls in place. We need to have policies and procedures in place,” she said. “We need to make sure that we are actually having budget to actual financial statements—meaningful budget to actual financial statements.”
Retired Army officer Robert Weiss worked in corporate finance and management in his second career. He says additional audits and auditors are needed in the district.
“An independent, outside auditor, be employed by the Board of Education—not by the school or the system—but by the board and reporting to the board,” he said.
James Williams worked in audit and compliance. He says expenses should be the primary focus of the budget.
“We’re going to have to make some hard decisions as a group to figure out how do we get out of this mess?” Williams said. “We can’t raise taxes. The county pays us, the state pays us, so there’s only limited ways we can make money, so we have to control the expenses.”
Coming out of the budget crisis, these District 2 Republicans say regaining the community’s trust means discussing issues out in the open.
“Instead of hiding behind your desk or hiding behind a computer, or hiding behind some text message on a cell phone, meet face to face with teachers, with parents,” Berlin said. “These are the boots on the ground.”
“You cannot regain trust by hiding or by saying things are better than they are, because sooner or later, the truth is going to come out,” Daniel said. “And as they say, if you always tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said.”
“I am going to make it a point to go out and visit schools and to go to schools and to meet admin, to build relationships with admin, to let them know that I’m in their corner, that I’m pulling for them,” Hinson said.
“If you’re discussing school board stuff, it should be at the meeting. Don’t do it behind closed doors. We need to know what’s going on,” Hubbard said. “We need to let our teachers be teachers again, not let our teachers be a pawn in a political game between both sides.”
Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts
“There are still going to be continued fallout,” Lesser said. “And so I think by our responses to the challenges, our transparency and accountability to the issues, and making sure that the public is aware of anything.”
“Board members are liable to do things to make sure that the financial things are done properly and clearly,” Weiss said. “In these cases, none of that was done. So, I think, the forensic audit is crucial.”
“Being open to the questions in the meeting, being civil to people, it seems to be a lost art nowadays—civility. So I think it’s just being—making ourselves available, either through the meetings or outside the meetings,” Williams said. “People have questions; we need to be open to their questions and their concerns.”
Only four of the ten Republican candidates in District 2 will advance to the November general election.
You can watch the full interviews with all of the District 2 Republican candidates by clicking on their name below:
You can also read their responses to WXII 12’s WS/FCS Board Candidate Questionnaire below:
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |