Voters have a choice in two contested races for the Kent School Board, although one candidate says he has not had the time to actively campaign for a position and is unsure if he would serve if elected.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Russell Hanscom said during a phone interview Tuesday that he really doesn’t have the time to commit to be a school board director.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“I’m not trying to win,” Hanscom said. “If I win, I might resign or I might not.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Hanscom is up against Larry Sims for the director District No. 1 position to replace Jim Berrios, who decided against running for reelection.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In the other race, Leslie Kae Hamada takes on incumbent Debbie Straus for the director District No. 3 spot.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Karen L. DeBruler is running unopposed for the director District No. 2 position. DeBruler was appointed to the board in 2010 after Chris Davies resigned to devote more time to his tax business.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
King County Elections mailed out ballots Oct. 19 for the Nov. 8 general election. Ballots must be returned by Nov. 8. Kent School Board positions are unpaid, four-year terms.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
District 1<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Russell Hanscom<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hanscom said the time commitment to his three young boys and his job didn’t leave him with anytime to campaign and probably won’t allow him to devote enough time to serve on the board.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n But Hanscom, 45, of Kent, executive director of Puyallup Tribe Elder and Vulnerable Adult Services, didn’t withdraw his name from the ballot.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n “I’m not actively seeking office but people should have choices,” said Hanscom, whose wife Jennifer Hanscom serves on the East Hill Elementary PTA. “But I am the lame-duck choice.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n If elected, Hanscom said he would decide within a couple of weeks whether to accept the position.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n “I don’t want to tell people not to vote for me,” said Hanscom, a seven-year resident of Kent. “I’m still keeping my options open.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hanscom ran unsuccessfully against Elizabeth Watson (now Albertson) in 2005 for the Kent City Council. Hanscom said he raised good money for that race and tried to win.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Larry Sims<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Sims, making his first run for an elected office, looks forward to the chance to serve on the school board.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n “I have a desire to get more involved and this is something I could add value to,” said Sims, who has a child at Kentridge High School and another one at Emerald Park Elementary. “I think I will bring a business outlook but also as a parent I have concern about the overall quality and making sure the things we do don’t take away from the overall quality of our education system.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Sims, 44, has lived in Kent for 17 years. He is a manager for The Boeing Co. in Auburn and has worked 23 years for the company.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n “Overall, I am pleased with the Kent School District,” Sims said. “I think there is always the opportunity to do better, but I think they are doing fairly well in meeting the educational needs.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Sims said he would like to see improvement in the education of students.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n “I want to make sure the educational gap of our children can close,” he said. “I want to make sure all of our kids are prepared for the future.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n As far as budget cuts, Sims said it’s premature for him to offer specific ideas now until he has a chance to examine the budget and find what opportunities there are to be more efficient.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n When told about Hanscom’s uncertainty about whether he would serve on the board if elected, Sims said he had no reaction besides “that’s something personal with him.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n