In Their Own Words: Meet Shoreline School Board District 5 Incumbent Richard Potter

CANDIDATE PROFILE INFORMATION:

What is your full, legal name?

Richard L. Potter

Where do you work and what is your job title?

Boeing, Associate Technical Fellow

When and Where Were You Born?

Madison, Wisconsin Dec. 21, 1954

Where do you live now and how long have you lived there?

18400 15th PL NE, Shoreline, WA 91855, since August 1983

Spouse or domestic partner if any:

Teri

Children:

Michael, Christopher

Education (include graduation date(s), if any):

B.S. Economics – University of Wisconsin 1977

M.S. Industrial Technology – University of Wisconsin 1978

Military Service (include year(s) of discharge, if any):

Not applicable. 

Memberships and affiliations with clubs and other organizations:

None currently; work, my family and the School Board consumes all of my time

Have you or a business you owned (or had principal interest in) ever filed bankruptcy?

No

As an adult, have you been convicted or charged with a crime other than a minor traffic violation?

No

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION:

Web site: http://vote4potter.com/

Email address: vote4potter@gmail.com, redptc@gmail.com

Phone number: (206) 367-5477

Campaign manager: myself

Campaign manager contact information: myself

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE(S):

Elected:

Shoreline School Board #412 Position 5 in November 2007

Other campaigns for public office:

Shoreline School Board 2007

THIS CAMPAIGN:

What is the primary reason you are running for this office?

I am running again because many people in the community have asked me to.  I feel that I have made a difference and I still have the energy to continue to commit the many hours needed to do a proper job of serving on the Board.

What will be your top three priorities if you get elected and why?

1) Continue to improve communications between the District and the community. – A perceived lack of clear and transparent communication led to a lot of friction between the District and the community during the school closure process and was one of the reasons I ran for election in 2007.  I consider improving communication to be a work in progress until people start to complain to me that they are tired of hearing about the schools all the time.

2) Maintaining financial stability and continuing to live within our means. – Our District is better positioned than most in the state to weather the economic downturn and resultant reductions in state funding.  That doesn’t mean that we can relax – the budget is very tight.  Fortunately we currently have some very capable financial people in the District and have tightened our financial controls.  With the concurrent construction of two new high schools adding more financial complexity, we will need to keep a close watch on our revenues, expenditures and the bottom line.

3) Ensure that the District’s technology investment is returning value for the dollar. – The District has spent a great deal of money on computers and other technology.  There have been some success stories, and many promising developments, but there are also questions about the return on investment and impact on student learning.  It is easy to say that programs should continue because the students or parents are used to them, but that ignores the question of the true achievements attributable to the technology and whether the same money might have been invested in more productive ways.  I am not an opponent of the current investments, but I am seeking metrics that demonstrate the value of those investments.

What sets you apart from the other candidates and/or previous office holders?

1) I believe that elected officials should be evaluated and held accountable for their service and how well they meet their commitments.  If I’m not doing the job then people shouldn’t vote for me. 

2) I’m not a career politician. Holding public office is an honor, not an entitlement.  I ran for my first term at the request of the community who wanted a voice in how our schools are run.  I’m running again because people have appreciated my openness and honesty and they asked me to run again.

3) I personally reply to virtually all emails that are directed specifically to me.  (Board policy is that the Board President, currently David Wilson, answers emails addressed to the Board.)

4) I make myself available to meet individually or with groups as requested.

5) You can't please everyone on every issue, but you can respectfully invite and consider different viewpoints before reaching a decision. You can also explain the rationale behind your decisions so that the public can feel confident that they were heard. We have a large community of highly skilled and concerned parents and businesses that can all offer valuable insights and suggestions. I value their input as my own "personal staff of advisors".

How much money do you expect your campaign to spend on this election?

A very minimal amount

What groups or individuals are your major endorsers?

I haven’t actively sought any official endorsements for this year’s campaign.

When I get emails thanking me for taking the time to reply to their ideas or concerns, for taking the time to meet personally to discuss a concern, and emails with subject lines such as “too bad the Board isn't five Richard Potters”, I think I am doing the job well and people appreciate my efforts.  That is good enough for me.