Desperately Seeking A Walnut Creek School Board Candidate

The Walnut Creek School District has three of its five board seats up for election, but only two candidates, both incumbents, are running. The third potential candidate, 22-year school board member Dan Walden, has decided not to run again for another term.

How will the district fill that empty seat? And how will the district find someone in the next week to step up and file all the necessary nomination papers. For non-incumbents, those papers need to be turned in to the Contra Costa County Elections office by August 11.

The board will meet Monday at 3 p.m. to talk about encouraging already active, involved parents to put their name in for a job that probably involves about 10 hours of work a week.

The candidate, who will seek to serve a four-year term, should have a passion for education issues, an ability to read lots of reports, including of a financial nature, and the stomach to make tough choices in these difficult budget times--such as reducing employees' hours or even laying off teachers and staff. 

Still, it's a great job for anyone who lives within the Walnut Creek School District boundaries and cares about the public education kids are receiving. "The great thing is that you get to have the big picture," said Board President Angela Borchardt, who filed her papers to run Friday afternoon. The other incumbent, Barbara Pennington, filed her nomination papers on Thursday.

"You have to make difficult decisions," Borchardt continues. "There is a lot of focus on the curriculum. It's exciting from the standpoint is that board members get to set direction for the district."

Walden said it was not easy to say 'no' to running again "I love doing this work. It's such a good environment to serve in." Walden's two sons and a grandnieces attended schools in the district. Back in 1988, he had been involved in the parents club at his sons' school when he was asked to accept the appointment to replace a resigning board member.

"I have always believed and still believe that people should do things to strengthen their community," he said.

He addes that everyone on the board and in the district is pulling together to offer the best education possible for the K-8 students in the district's five elementaries and one middle school. "It's going to be tough to leave."

Walden said the choice to not run had to with growing demands for his time from his company, Walden Consulting To Living Well. The company provides educational and management consulting to school districts around the state and is involved in promoting wellness issues. "I didn't want my attention to be divided."

Prospective candidates should know that any campaign to run for this now open fifth seat is not likely to take up too much time or involve serious fundraising. Past elections have not been contested, except for in 2006. "Even with a contestd election, not much went on," Borchardt said.