Tom Ham for School Board Candidate's Statement   My name is Tom Ham and I would like to announce my candidacy for a position on the Saugerties School District Board of Education. I have lived in the Saugerties School District for 18 years and I’m a life long resident of the immediate area. I have two children in our school system and I have found that attending and participating in school board meetings is a way for me to contribute back to the community. Professionally, I am an Electronic Engineer turned manager. For the past thirteen years I have been the Chief Engineer managing the engineering department. I have also invented some of our more successful products. During my tenure I have traveled the world speaking at various functions. The decisions I make affect many people for years to come. Because of this, I have learned to make informed decisions and stay focused on the future. I actively manage a large operating budget and know how to get things done on time and under budget. I have attended Saugerties Board of Education meetings for over three years now and continue to find the process interesting. Because I have been to all but a few meetings over the past three years, I am well versed on current issues facing the Board and I have a proven, long-term commitment to the board meetings. I have contributed at these meetings in a civil, productive manner and I wish to extend this contribution to the next level by becoming a board member. Last year I wrote that I was concerned with the lack of enthusiasm exhibited by some board members. I warned that this lack of enthusiasm would be disastrous in the trying times ahead. I believe that lack of enthusiasm is one of the leading causes of some of the water damage and other problems we have been told about over the past year. With last years election of three new members, the board has been on a path towards improvement. These gentlemen work very hard to make sure their decisions are the most appropriate for the district. I think the board needs more committed, enthusiastic, openminded individuals willing to work hard for the benefit of our school district. I believe we need to re-focus on the children. We need to improve financial oversight in order to provide resources that directly benefit the kids. We need to insure our curriculum provides a quality education so our children are adequately prepared. We must encourage open dialog between the Board, Administration, Teachers and Community members. I am optimistic that together we can overcome the problems that face us and improve the quality of education while controlling spending. I am committed to providing the highest quality education to our children while keeping an eye on spending. I promise to be an accessible, informed and responsible Board Member and look forward to an opportunity to serve the community in this capacity. I humbly ask for your vote on May 20th Tom Ham