6 Vie to Replace Chernis on Bedford School Board

It was announced Thursday that six candidates have thrown their proverbial hats into the ring to fill the Bedford school board seat vacated by Mark Chernis, in order to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest between his education technology job and his service to the district.

The candidates are:

• Andrew Bracco, Mount Kisco
• Andrea Lynne Campbell, Mount Kisco
• Lee Goldstein, Pound Ridge
• David Hoffman, Bedford
• Marie-Louise Scanlan, Bedford
• Gary Schwartz, Bedford

The school board will interview the six candidates at a special meeting on Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. at Fox Lane Middle School. The board will appoint whom they determine is the best fit for the seat, and the winner will serve until next May. The person selected could run for the remaining two years on Chernis' term. Chernis was re-elected this past May to a three-year term.

Below is the school district's press release announcing the candidates:

(Bedford, New York)  The Bedford Board of Education is pleased to announce that six applications have been received for the open Board seat. Board President Susan Elion Wollin indicated, “Our school district is fortunate to have so many district residents willing to volunteer on behalf of our school district.” 

The individuals are (in alphabetical order): Andrew Bracco (Mount Kisco); Andrea Lynne Campbell (Mount Kisco); Lee Goldstein (Pound Ridge); David Hoffman (Bedford); Marie-Louise Scanlan (Bedford); and Gary Schwartz (Bedford).

The Bedford Board of Education will conduct public interviews of the six candidates at a Special Board meeting on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 7 pm in the Little Theatre at the Fox Lane Middle School. The meeting will be televised live on BCSD-TV (Bedford Channel 18 and FIOS Channel 1982), available on our district website via live video streaming and subsequently rebroadcast on TV and the website.  The League of Women Voters has, once again, graciously offered to moderate the interviews.

Copies of the completed applications will be available at the October 19th meeting. To allow for community input, members of the community are invited to provide feedback on the candidates by emailing the Board of Education at boe@bcsdny.org no later than October 24th.

The Board will consider each candidate based upon his/her application, interview responses and community input. The Board of Education plans to discuss the candidates in an executive session and to announce the appointment of the new Board of Education member as soon as possible.

The new Board member will assume his/her seat on the Board and begin the mandated orientation program immediately.  The new Board member will serve until the May 15, 2012 general election for Board of Education members.