Published: May 10, 2008 10:26 pm            

Incumbents easily win re-election to JISD Board

By Raymond Billy

rbilly@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Residents of the Jacksonville Independent School District showcased overwhelming support for Jimmy Brown and James Houser Saturday in re-electing both to serve on the Board of Trustees.

The incumbents won by wide margins, with Houser garnering more than twice as many votes as challenger Ken Smith and Brown having more ballots cast in his favor than opponents Belinda Sims and Sarah Jane Robinson combined.

A total of 1192 votes were recorded, a decrease of 600 over last year’s tally when Pat McCown and Jim Tarrant were elected to the board. Houser had 411 votes to Smith’s 172 while Brown received 319 votes versus Robinson's 224 and Sims' 66.

Each candidate running against the sitting board members presented themselves publicly as protesters of the status quo. Smith and Sims have complained that JISD lacks a master plan for facilities upgrades. Robinson and Sims have been critics of the standardized dress code, saying the rule has been a burden on students and parents.

Houser said the re-elections of he and Brown show the school board has a mandate from the public at-large.

“I think we’re on the right course — I think the support from the public proves that,” Houser said. But, he said, the school board should work to become better in certain respects, pointing to Smith’s criticism that the flow of information between JISD officials and residents needed to be streamlined.

“There’s always room for improvement and I think we can definitely do more to enhance communication,” said Houser, who is heading into his second term on the board. He said he would work in conjunction with board members to bring about greater transparency.

Brown said he was looking forward to his first full term on the board so he could put what he has learned in the previous year to good use.

“I feel that as I continue to gain more knowledge of how the school district works, I’ll be able to assert myself more, especially now that I have a better understanding of what the people of the community want,” Brown said. “I feel that I‘ll be able to represent the citizens better.”

Brown was appointed to the Board of Trustees in July 2007 as a replacement of the retiring Ann Chandler.

Brown and Houser will be sworn in for their new terms May 19 in the Fred Douglas Elementary Cafetorium.

        

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