Rockwood School Board Election - Third of Three Parts

Editor's note: A questionnaire was sent to each of the six candidates for the Rockwood School District Board of Education. Here are the responses from Matt Doell and Mike Geller.

Candidates are running for three open spots on the school board. Terms last three years. The election is April 5.

MATT DOELL

• Vice president at Sachs Electric Company
• Bachelor of science in electrical engineering, master’s of business administration
• Has lived in the Rockwood School District for eight years; currently lives at 648 Southern Hills, Eureka.
• Married to Kris. They have two sons, one at LaSalle Springs Middle School and one at Eureka High School.

Doell has served on several boards as part of his career in electrical engineering. He’s been the president of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). He was also a member of the board of directors of Productivity and Responsibility Increase Development and Employment (PRIDE), a construction labor management organization. He served on the apprenticeship and training committee of the Electrical Connection, a combination of NECA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). He’s a member of the Most Sacred Heart Church and is committee chairman of Boy Scout Troop 322.

Please provide a brief summary of your reasons for running.

First and foremost, I live here.  My sons attend the Rockwood schools. I believe that we have the best schools. My family and I moved here from only a few miles away, specifically to get into this district. I have a diversity of background that covers corporate management, labor relations, community service and conservative financial planning. I believe I can help the Board of Education make the decisions that it must to keep and improve our quality of education.

What unique experiences or characteristics would you bring to the board that other members or candidates don't have?

My experience in corporate management and labor relations has included a history of problem solving and decision making focused on long term goals. In business, that means working to keep my company the very best and control costs to remain competitive and responsible. All costs must be examined with the purpose of identifying those that are a direct contributor to the company’s benefit. Similarly, methods of service delivery and fair labor relations are regularly reviewed to ensure the best return on investment. The Rockwood School District is faced with very similar challenges. I know that I can put that experience to work for our kids.

One of the most personally rewarding things I have done is to have been involved in the Boy Scouts. Watching my sons grow into capable and responsible young men is, of course, a source of pride and joy. Knowing that I have been involved in the same accomplishments for other young men is an obligation that I have been very pleased to meet.

I am active in state government. Although I am not a lobbyist, I regularly spend time at the state Capitol to find out what issues are going to affect my industry, my company, and my school district. At the state level, individuals can have an effect on outcomes when legislation is being proposed. Our schools could certainly use that now.

Assume you win the election. What single thing do you most want to accomplish during your three years on the board?

I would like to help set a tone of optimism on the board. I believe the resources and opportunities that we have in Rockwood have been put to good use. As we recover from the current economic downturn and funding constraints are lightened, we will begin the process of deciding which items merit inclusion in our future budgets. This process should follow the same rigorous review that is now being employed to prioritize expenditures. The ‘silver lining’ is the opportunity to review and improve how the district operates. Three years from now, I expect the district to be a more efficient and more rewarding place for our children.

Would you favor a tax increase for Rockwood School District residents or a bond issue to supplement district funds? Why or why not? 

A tax increase is always the last resort. I don’t want one. (Bond issues are used for capital expenditures.) We need to look at every other aspect of our budget, first. Rockwood was recently recognized for having a very high Return on Investment. Rockwood is also one of the very few districts to have a AAA bond rating. This also indicates that the district is a good steward of our money. The district has, in the last two budgets, cut a significant amount from its operating costs. They have also reduced the reserve funds a significant amount. What we don’t know yet is what the state funding formula and adequacy target numbers will be. These items could cause as much as a $16 million change in our operating funds. So far, we just don’t know. I cannot know, yet, if a tax increase is needed. I will work to avoid one. However, I believe that I would be irresponsible to promise that I would never support one. If, after looking at every other aspect of the district’s budget, we are in a position of choosing between accepting a lower quality of educational for my children OR accepting an increase in a local tax to prevent it, that decision will be made by the voters of this district.

As the district continues to face a budget shortfall and uncertainty over state funding, are there areas you think shouldn’t be cut? What areas have to be cut?

All organizations must look to their mission statement and goals for guidance. Some areas, such as child safety, are not directly educational, but are still of the highest priority. That does not, however, mean that we can’t look for more cost effective and creative ways to perform that function. There will be no area that isn’t examined. The school board must consider every single area for the most cost effective way to deliver the same or better outcome. There is nothing in the budget that someone won’t believe to be essential. That will be a task for the next school board. Nothing is exempt. The solution will be to balance the funding we have with our core requirements and prioritize. The Guiding Change FY13 process is a sound methodology. It will give us the tools to identify and accomplish those changes necessary.

What do you think is Rockwood School District’s biggest weakness, and what would you do to correct it? What is its biggest strength?

We will get through this current financial maelstrom. We will find the best solutions and implement them. We have to. Right now, the school district’s biggest strength is in its people. The community that Rockwood supports is made up of well-educated, successful, motivated and involved citizens. The district enjoys a culture of achievement that has almost nothing to do with funding. It’s the staff, teachers, and parents that have created a team atmosphere that has resulted in what is often called the “Rockwood Advantage.” You can’t buy that.

Communication is a two-way street. I believe I can help the school board do better in this area. It can be difficult for a non-paid board to be constantly accessible to a district with 75,000 registered voters. I will work to uphold my part. Some are content to know that the school board is working on behalf of their kids. Others desire more frequent and more involved input to issues and policies. Others feel that the time and effort spent running for and being on the board is the best way to say thank you for a great school district and community. I’m one of those.

MIKE GELLER

• Political strategist
• Bachelor's of arts in political science for the University of Kansas
• Has lived in the Rockwood School District for 20 of the last 21 years; he currently lives at 1409 Homestead Valley Dr., Wildwood.
• Married to Colleen. He has five children, including 15-year-old triplets. Two of the triplets attend Lafayette High School; the other attends a specialized boarding school out of state. His 13-year-old attends Rockwood Valley Middle School. His 7-year-old daughter attends Rossman School.

Geller is a conservative political consultant who specializes in state legislative races. He’s a West County native and attended Rossman School and Parkway schools while growing up. He graduated from Parkway Central High School in 1982. He has served on the Board of Directors for PureHOPE and Beathany Christian Services. He volunteers with his wife and children at Grace and Peace Women’s Shelter in St. Louis. They attend Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church.

Please provide a brief summary of your reasons for running.

I have been around politics for a long time. In fact, I’ve been urged to run several times over the past two decades and I’ve declined, until now. This is something that I’m passionate about. Education is what will shape America’s future. The exceptionalism which has defined us for so long is in jeopardy of being lost if we don’t keep parents and other taxpayers as part of the decision-making process. Too many special interests have become involved. Instead of being one of the many voices complaining about the system, I thought I’d step in and do something about it.

What unique experiences or characteristics would you bring to the board that other members or candidates don't have?

As someone who has been involved in the public policy arena for most of my adult life, I’m uniquely qualified to communicate with those on the state level who are the key to getting us what we do need and preventing us from being the victims of special interest abuses through laws which dictate curriculum and take away our local control. My experience with the Anti-Defamation League gives me a real-world perspective into what is good about cultural diversity, but also a good frame of reference when it comes to stifling the diversity of ideas. Many of the world’s oppressive regimes throughout history have allowed ethnic diversity, as long as there was no diversity of opinion. The stifling of thought is the first step toward totalitarianism and when the minds of young students are limited by the narrow opinions of one group, they become easy prey for those wishing to mold them into their own likenesses. Sometimes it’s difficult to see the forest for the trees. Not being a teacher or academic administrator, I am able to step back and give a citizen/taxpayer’s perspective, not cluttered by any special interest group’s policy parameters. I am in nobody’s pocket.

Assume you win the election. What single thing do you most want to accomplish during your three years on the board?

My long-range plan is to preserve the local control we already have and to prevent it from disappearing. Too many special interests have their fingers in the pie and are trying to tell us how we should educate our children. My goal is to make it more difficult for this to take place by not only opposing every effort like this, but encouraging more conservatives to run for school board in the future.

Would you favor a tax increase for Rockwood School District residents or a bond issue to supplement district funds? Why or why not?

Taxes and bond issues are two entirely different things. Bond issues are to pay for large infrastructure projects and improvements. The money raised costs taxpayers nothing, but is not used as general revenue. I am in favor of bond issues as long as the resources and energy spent promoting it aren’t wasted on something the district doesn’t need. I will not support property tax increases, not now, not ever. I simply do not believe that tax increases help in the way they are intended. First one’s premise needs to be based upon the notion that a tax levy will grow the revenue base. It will not. In fact, higher taxes will decrease the revenue base in quicker order than most think. Removing money from taxpayers will not only force some to lose their mortgages or have to sell their homes at a discount, but landlords and business owners will pass along their costs to their renters and consumers. Business won’t renew leases and new ones won’t move in to an area with high taxes. Eventually the revenue base, which is the valuation of all residential and commercial property in the district, will decrease, thus we’ll actually have less revenue to the district as opposed to more.

As the district continues to face a budget shortfall and uncertainty over state funding, are there areas you think shouldn’t be cut? What areas have to be cut?

There are many programs that are on the chopping block and others which are being discussed as possible recipients of cuts. All of these avenues should be investigated. I would not agree to cut programs to children with special needs or the gifted program, nor would make any of the proposed cuts to regular bus service. Working parents would find it difficult in many cases to get their children to school.

As difficult as it is to talk about, we must discuss a salary freeze for all district employees. Nearly everyone I know has taken some sort of cut in wages and/or benefits over the past couple of years and it makes no sense to write contracts (as was done a year ago) to give people a 3 percent raise over two years during what has been the single most severe financial crisis in America since the Great Depression because, in the words of one district official, “It’s what we’ve always done.” It’s time for the district to reign in its largest percentage expense: its payroll.

What do you think is Rockwood School District’s biggest weakness, and what would you do to correct it? What is its biggest strength?

Obviously, the biggest weakness of the district is its financial situation, which I addressed in the last question.

I believe that the biggest strength the district has is its teachers. Nearly all the teachers I’ve met have been absolutely professional and very creative. My kids have benefited from some of them in ways that I have no room here to describe. I find it sad that the people whom I admire so much feel afraid to openly support me in my campaign. As I mentioned above, the stifling of the diversity of ideas (in this case philosophical opinions) has led some teachers to have to keep their opinions to themselves. I wouldn’t want even the conservative teachers to express their political opinions in the classroom, however, when they can’t even show up to a candidate forum with my lapel sticker, it smacks of censorship. That sort of intimidation has to be done away with, or only robots regurgitating rhetoric will remain.