Meet the School Board Candidates: Michael Goldman

Residents of the Dobbs Ferry School District will take to the polls on Tuesday, May 21 to vote for three school board members, as well as the 2013-14 budget. 

There are four candidates vying for three spots on the board. Jeff O’Donnell, Meg Lauer and Mike Goldman are running to keep their seats, while Louis Schwartz will challenge the incumbents for a three-year term on the school board. 

Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Dobbs Ferry High School Gym, 505 Broadway.

Patch welcomes letters to the editor about school budget and school board elections. Click here for information on how to submit a letter to the editor.

Read below to learn more about your school board candidates.

Name: Michael Goldman

Age:  53

How long have you lived in the village? 23 years

Family: Wife, Lisa Goldman is a director of an adult day care program for dementia patients, son Sam, 20 is a junior at Muhlenberg College (DFHS grad), daughter Hannah, 17 is a junior at DFHS, and Teddy, a 10 year old cockapoo.

What do you do for a living? How long have you done this? Have been a bond trader for 25+ years. 

What is your education background? MBA in Finance from Columbia University, 1986 and a BS in Accounting from SUNY-Albany, 1981.

Are you involved in any other community-oriented roles? I was a board member of Dobbs Ferry Youth Little League from 1999 -2008 including President from 2005 – 2007, Incoming Treasurer at Greenburgh Hebrew Center, and past six years on DF school board.

How long have you served on the school board? 2 terms of 3 years each, total 6 years.

School Board Compensation: None

Why do you want to continue as a member of the school board? 

There are so many exciting things going on in the district that I want to still be a part of, and to help shape the decisions that need to be made around these endeavors. For example, exploration of IB Middle Years Program, the new Learning Commons and other potential facilities improvements.

Why did you originally want to join the school board? 

I enjoy the sense of achievement associated with knowing you’ve helped make a difference in the community.  In a community as small as Dobbs Ferry it’s possible to make a significant impact.

Why are you an ideal candidate for school board and why should you be elected to another term? 

I’m happy to run on the achievements of the board over the past six years and the upward trajectory of our schools while I have been a board member.  I am proud that during my tenure on the board, Dobbs Ferry has become one of the finer school districts in Westchester. That opinion has been validated by colleges and universities throughout the country, as Dobbs Ferry has seen more and more students getting into better and better colleges each year. It is very gratifying to hear anecdotal evidence of people moving into Dobbs Ferry specifically for our schools and to think I have been a part of this resurgence.  

What are your greatest accomplishments as a member of the school board? 

While it is difficult to single out one individual since the board only acts together and no individual member has individual authority, I was involved with the refinancing of the District’s long-term debt, saving the District hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think one of the most important functions for any school board is to hire a top notch Superintendent and lead administrators and I am very proud of the administrative team that we have assembled.

What are the biggest issues facing the school district? How would you address these issues? 

As always, it comes down to the most efficient allocation of limited financial resources, and in these current times it is ever more critical to make sure that these resources are fairly balanced to have the greatest impact for all students and on all types of learners. The way to address this issue is to make sure that all areas of the budget feel the pain of necessary belt tightening equally. 

What is your opinion on the district’s proposed 2013-14 budget? 

I think we accomplished the aforementioned goal of having all areas “share the pain,” enabling the District to put forth a budget with almost no cuts in teachers.  That said, I am disappointed that individuals will still see their tax rate go up by 4.5%. We need to address the shrinking tax base due to increased certiorari claims. That is why I am in favor of property reassessment. It is a matter of fairness to all taxpayers.

What is the most important thing to you when it comes to the district’s budget? 

Keeping Dobbs Ferry affordable. Within that constraint, it’s always safety first, and then preserving the academics (retaining teachers). 

What is your favorite thing about the school district? 

I love the diversity within our community. It’s all types of diversity; racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other types as well. That creates an environment where our students interact with each without regard to their differences, and will lead to acceptance of others that will follow them their whole lives and be passed on to future generations. 

Anything else you would like to add… 

My favorite thing about being on the school board is graduation day.  The proud look in those kid’s eyes when they come onto the stage to get their diploma is priceless.  And it’s every kid, no matter how cool they may think they are, their pride shows through, and it’s a great reminder of the difference we all can make in a child’s life.

Like Us On Facebook/ Follow Us On Twitter/ Sign Up For Our Newsletter