By Diane Petryk
SUNBURY — Michele A. Long, of Northumberland, a registered nurse and Geisinger Medical Center operations manager, was surprised to find herself being sworn in as a Shikellamy school board member Tuesday.
“It was unexpected,” she said.
Long was chosen on a 6-2 vote. Board members Dave Persing and Lori Garman voted for former board member Richard Shemory.
The board interviewed nine of 11 candidates who submitted applications for two vacancies. One opened up this month, because board member Terry Marshall won two seats in the general election. The other will open Jan. 4 when board member David Persing is sworn in as mayor of Sunbury.
Contrary to those who said they wanted to improve the district’s negative image, Long said she doesn’t have a problem with the district. “I think it’s doing a really good job,” she said.
The interviews were done singly, with competing candidates kept out of the room, but the questioning was open to the public. No members of the public attended. Only four district principals and two representatives of the union of Shikellamy Educational Support Personnel were in the audience.
Persing told each candidate in turn the district does many good things it doesn’t get credit for and that he expects the city to approach the board about a joint venture to improve their public images. He asked each candidate if he or she would approve of that. All said yes.
Long said she has children in the eighth and 10th grades in Shikellamy schools. Another graduated in 2009, she said, and she has a 27-year-old who attended the district.
According to her resume, Long has been operations manager of Geisinger inpatient cancer services and manager of the inpatient surgical care area since 1992. She expects to receive her master’s degree in organizational management in the spring.
When asked by board Vice President Linda Van Der Pool why she thinks she should be chosen above the other 10 applicants, Long said: “I don’t know.”
Unlike several other applicants, Long did not previously serve on the board or seek the office in a primary or general election.
She said she simply saw the advertisement of the openings and thought it would be a great opportunity for community involvement. She said being an operations manager has given her budgeting experience and she has a lot of knowledge about the schools from having four kids in, or having gone through, district schools.
“I am eager to get involved,” she said.
When board member Preston Ross asked the question he asked each candidate, “What do you think of SUN Tech?,” he got the most enthusiastic response from Long.
“I love SUN Tech,” she said. “I am amazed at what they offer.”
When the interviews were over and nominations called for, Long, Shemory and John Klinger were nominated. The first vote among the three had Long and Shemory tied at 3-3, with two votes going to Klinger. The members then voted to drop Klinger’s name from consideration.
Interview order was decided by pulling names from a hat. Former board member Slade Shreck was first, followed by Charles Dalpiaz, Allen Bubb, Long, Cheryl Snyder, Shemory, Adam Klock, Michael Weaver and Klinger. Kimberly Kemberling and Jeff Persing were no-shows, but may still be considered for the second vacancy. Long will have a vote. Persing will be off the board.
That vote will be taken on Jan. 6.
