Four candidates seek three seats on Tuxedo BOE

TUXEDO — Four people are vying for three three-year seats on the Tuxedo School Board in next Tuesday’s school budget vote and election.

Voting will take place in the George Grant Mason Multipurpose Room from 2 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15. Additional information is available by contacting 845-351-2296 ext. 2023.

The four candidates are incumbent Ed Gedvila, newcomer Amanda Mulvaney, school board vice president Diana Petrosky and incumbent Robert Werner. Statements from three of the candidates follow here, in alphabetical order:

Ed Gedvila Background: Resident of Tuxedo with two children attending Tuxedo Elementary School

Currently building a tech start-up

Ameritrade, Prodigy, The Walt Disney Company, Metromedia, Accenture (Andersen Consulting)

Boy Scout and Cub Scout Leader (six years - current)

Tuxedo Little League Assistant Coach & Soccer Coach (three years)

University of Chicago, MBA Finance

University of Chicago, BA Economics

Candidate statement: It has been a privilege serving the community on the Tuxedo School Board. I’ve tried to champion a focus on the quality of education while maximizing the efficiency of how resources are allocated. We have a unique community and a small school district, which should present the opportunity for a top-notch academic program.

I have a background in launching and managing financial service, consumer product and technology companies. The experiences that I have gained have helped me guide the district toward a better system of fiscal responsibility, transparency and academic excellence.

Since being elected, we’ve successfully negotiated long outstanding teachers’, administrators’ and support contracts. I’ve also worked on our search for our superintendent and helped establish a new set of goals to measure our performance, instill accountability and focus for those who want more from our K-8 program. In addition, I’ve attended Greenwood Lake Steering Committee meetings and all public forums to help get Tuxedo to the final vote before the Greenwood Lake Community in June.

As a parent of two children in the Tuxedo School System, I am committed to building excellence one student at a time. By being small we should be able to adapt and tailor programs to a student’s needs and style of learning. We should be flexible and creative in our solutions while providing outstanding academics, special education and enhanced learning to our children

I have tried to maintain a record of sound decision making, problem solving and creative solutions with a strong dedication to the community.

I appreciate your time, consideration and continued support.

Angela Mulvaney My name is Angela Mulvaney and I am running for the Board of Education in the Tuxedo Union Free School District. I am eager for the opportunity to bring fresh ideas and solutions to our district. There are multiple candidates running for the three open seats and I ask for your support and your vote in the upcoming election.

I earned a bachelor of arts in English from Portland State University and have held sales and management positions in both large corporations and smaller start-ups. I currently work for Opici Wine Group, a wine distributor in Glen Rock, N.J., as Director of customer operations. In this position I oversee all customer service, credit, and accounts receivable activity for six divisions in four states. I have extensive leadership, budgetary and project management skills that will serve the board well if I am elected.

I have spent the last three years serving as Tuxedo PTO Co-President which has provided an excellent opportunity to immerse myself in the district; working with parents, teachers, and students alike. Our district is facing complex issues with the looming high school contract renewal with Greenwood Lake and the increasing number of students leaving for the private sector.

While the current school administration has recognized these issues, I believe more can be done to address these significant concerns through increased community involvement and proactive strategic planning.

Along with my husband I have lived in Tuxedo for almost eleven years and think it is a wonderful place to raise a family. My children both attend GGM and we are all actively involved in the community.

I have a vested interest in maintaining the educational excellence that TUFSD is known for and respectfully ask for your vote at the May 15th election.

Diana Petrosky My name is Diana Petrosky. I have lived in Tuxedo for nearly 38 years. My husband Charles and I have raised two sons.

I was employed with AT&T until 1991, when I became a stay at home mother and wife. Since 1986 I have been involved with the parent/teacher organization in the Tuxedo School District and continue to do so today.

I have been a member of the Tuxedo BOE since 2000 and am proud to say that I have been its vice president since 2002 and have always taken this responsibility seriously.

I currently serve as the vice president of the Orange County School Boards Association and presently represent our district as a member of the New York State School Boards Association. I am the executive secretary of the Tuxedo Ambulance Corps and serve on the Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce.

I am proud of my involvement in the school district and community. My participation in these organizations has always been focused on the children of our school district. I have been able to bring to the attention of these organizations our amazing students as well as getting these students involved in the community.

I was fortunate to have been recognized by the State of New York Senate as a “Woman of Distinction” for Orange County as well as having received the NYSSBA highest recognition as a “Master of Boardmanship Award” for my continued efforts to educate myself and my fellow board members.

With the challenges of meeting the requirements of educating students today with unfunded mandates, tax caps, reduced enrollments and, for our district, the challenges of two communities and one school, I would like to continue to part of this BOE. Doing more, with less, will be the challenge of the future.

I look forward to this challenge and being a significant part of the solution.

Robert R. Werner My name is Robert R. Werner I would like to thank the people of Tuxedo who signed my petition and again ask for your continued support as I run for a second term.

For those of you who do not know me, I am the Chief Investigator for the New York State Office of the Inspector General and in that role supervise all criminal investigations and systemic reviews of more than 200 state agencies, boards and commissions.

The Tuxedo Board of Education has faced many challenges and our efforts to secure a new contract with Greenwood Lake are far from over.

Most people do not realize we control about 20 percent of our budget the remainder is used to pay for contractual items and unfunded mandates.

Unless Albany addresses this issue now it will inevitably lead to even larger problems in the near future. I hope to remain part of the team that deals with these very important issues.