Former school board member running for Bay's Ward 3

I am excited and enthused about being a candidate for public office again in Bay Village. I am running for the Ward 3 City Council seat.

I am confident I can provide the leadership and professional management skills that Bay residents want. I served on the Board of Education from 1994-2005, three of those years as president and another three as vice-president.

Most recently in 2005, I ran for mayor of Bay Village, placing second in a field of five. I believe that my formal education and work experience have prepared me well for the city council position. I hold a Masters of Public Administration degree which is the degree that most city managers hold. 

I am proud of many accomplishments on the School Board. We managed a district school budget of approximately $25 million, which at the time was about double that of the City’s. Many collaborative efforts were implemented between the Board and the City. These included the high school’s fitness center; Bay Family Services and the addition of a community gym to the middle school. The Bay Board of Education also played a crucial leadership role in establishing a consortium with other districts to cut costs and negotiate lower health premiums.

I describe myself as a fiscal conservative. I believe this philosophy is crucial in addressing the declining reserve fund and the pressures of providing excellent city services while at the same time looking for cost-effective savings. Taxes, recent flooding, aging homes, and the condition of city-owned buildings are also concerns of residents. Since I first ran for office, my campaign theme has been: “Do What’s Best for Bay.”  I am running because I love Bay and want to make it an even better community.

– Karen Lieske, Bay Village

Read More on Letters to the Editor
Volume 3, Issue 17, Posted 6:34 PM, 08.23.2011