Carson City School Trustee District 6: Board needs experienced members, Myers says

During the last couple of years, the Carson City School Board of Trustees has seen a lot of turnover.

John McKenna termed out in 2009 and Bob Crowell left at the same time after being elected mayor. Joe Enge resigned later that year after his second drunken driving arrest. Barbara Howe left to take a job in California.

"I think Carson City is losing a lot of history on this board," said Barbara Myers, a candidate for the District 6 seat on the Carson City School Board.

She said her experience will bring a sense of stability.

"I think that at this juncture of education in Nevada, someone needs to step up who has experience understanding the legislative process and the budget process," she said. "I don't think there's time to bring board members up to speed."

Myers, a school speech pathologist in Dayton area schools, served eight years on the Nevada State Board of Education after moving to Carson City 13 years ago. She also served 12 years as a trustee for the California school district where her two children attended school.

"In 20 years of public service, I've missed only two meetings," she said. "I think that speaks to my dedication to the job I've been elected to do."

In her work on the state board of education, she said, she became familiar with Nevada's process of funding education. Her work on local boards in California, she said, prepared her for upcoming budget cuts.

"I worked with Prop 13 in California," she said. "I know what extreme budget cuts look like. I know it's not pretty. But I know it's coming in Nevada."

She said that will be the greatest challenge facing the school district in the coming years.

"It's most pressing that we look at what funding is going to look like and understand that we still have to educate children," she said. "How do we best do that? I have the experience needed to make tough decisions during these difficult economic times."

She praised the community for passing past bonds and encouraged voters to support the proposed 2010 rollover bond issue, which is tax neutral and would update facilities in the district.

"That is the least painful way to have a bond schedule," she said. "Carson City has been such a supportive community. I'm hoping that will happen again."

She faces incumbent Randy Carlson, who was appointed to the board in December to replace Howe.

"I have a lot of questions about (Carlson)," Myers said. "I keep waiting for information to see what qualifies him other than living in Carson City for 26 years.

"I've spent my whole life committed to public education, and I've shown that."