Alan Mosher, Kristopher Green and Kathleen McKinley Murphy are running for two open board seats
By Andrew Harris,
School board elections are a strange animal, at least in Wellsville. Taxpayers, residents, and even parent interest is very low while school taxes are the biggest percentage of property taxes. Finding candidates to run for school board spots(or any public office) is increasingly difficult. This Tuesday May 16 at the Riverside lobby of the Wellsville High School, three candidates will be on the ballot for two open board seats. All three are graduates of Wellsville High and
The challenger is Kathleen “Kate” McKinley Murphy, a life long Wellsville resident who has taken a keen interested in district policy. Murphy has raised her family in Wellsville and her children will all be Wellsville High School graduates after her current member of the Class of 2023 recieves his dipolma. Kate is challenging two incumbent board members and one is the longtime board president, Alan “Al” Mosher. The other incumbent is Kristopher Green, also a lifelong resident, and is running for his second term on the board.
Below read a short introduction from each candidate which will be followed by seven questions posed to all three candidates on a range of subjects. First this important message from the district about the vote:
- Wellsville School District Residents:
The Annual Budget Vote will be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in the Riverside Lobby. Please note there is a time change from previous years; this year, voting hours will be from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. If you cannot vote in person and would like an Absentee Ballot, please stop into the District Office at 126 W State Street to fill out an application.
Candidate introductions:
Kristopher Green is a alumni of Andover Central, an lifelong Wellsville resident, US military veteran, and also the Director of Human Resources at Jones Memorial Hospital and is seeking a second term on the school board:
“I am running for re-election to the Board of Education because I believe that educating and preparing our children to be successful and contributing members of their communities is essential. Our children deserve the best educational opportunities and our faculty/staff deserve the best support to enable them to educate and care for their students. As parents and/or community members, we bear a special responsibility to ensure both of these obligations are met. I have been privileged to serve one term on the board and if reelected, I look forward to continuing to support the District, our faculty/staff, and our students.“
Alan Mosher is the longtime President of the school board, has retired from a long career in business, and is a Wellsville High School graduate also.
“I feel that running for the BOE is a privilege. I am going on 20 years of BOE service with 18 years as president. My immediate family and I are graduates of Wellsville Central School and I currently have 3 grandchildren attending. I love this community and feel that I make a difference. There is a bright future going forward with the existing board members as all have the same goal of the betterment of our children’s education and our taxpayers investment.“
Kathleen “Kate” McKinley Murphy is new to school board politics but not Wellsville Central Schools. Her children are third generation graduates and she wants to give back to the community with board service:
“I was raised in Wellsville. My Mom and her siblings as well as all her children have graduated from Wellsville. My youngest of 3 graduates in June. I have been researching school board ‘ins and outs’ for over a year. I feel I can help this community. I have much more to learn but I am willing to put in the time! Sometimes, a new face with an open mind, fresh set of eyes and ears and willingness to ask questions can provide the spark to a group.“
Part II, a Q & A with all the candidates, will be published in today’s afternoon segment.
