Shawn Miller Announces Madison School Board Candidacy

Last updated on 2011.02.27

You already know I'm running for the Madison Central School Board. I submitted my petitions this morning. Game on!

I thus yield the floor to Shawn Miller, who joined the race yesterday. Here's his official announcement (pay attention to the part about separating needs from wants):

After much deliberation and with encouragement from my friends and family, I have decided to run for one of the two open seats on the Madison Central School Board. As a graduate of Madison High School and now a father of two school-aged children, I have firsthand experience with the district that spans several decades. I have witnessed the changes—good and bad—that our district has gone through over the years.

I, along with many of the district's residents, have been frustrated with the attempts to design a renovation project that will meet the district's actual needs within a budget acceptable to those being asked to fund the project. I truly feel that most citizens support and understand the need to invest in our facilities, but the division between the proponents and the opponents of the projects has never been able to be resolved. I realize there are valid arguments from both sides of the equation and hope to provide a voice of reason that bridges the two sides together.

With the looming budget cuts from Pierre and financial constraints becoming more widespread, it is especially important that we exercise the restraint to separate the needs from the wants. These decisions will be difficult, and it will be impossible to satisfy everyone, but I have the gumption to do what is necessary and not just what is easy.

Madison is a great community with much potential. I was born and raised here, and my wife Stephanie and I have chosen to raise our children, Savannah (12) and Sawyer (9) here. I have always been strongly invested in the community. I am currently employed as the Energy Auditor for East River Electric and prior to that built homes in the Madison area as a co-owner of Miller Construction. I serve on the Board of Directions for Habitat for Humanity, coach my children's softball and baseball teams, belong to the Lions Club and am on the Trinity Lutheran Church Building Committee. Madison has many positive characteristics, and its education system should be one that is admired. I want to help our district realize its potential to be a first-class institution for my children, for your children and for our future community.