With no one to compete against, three members of the County
Office of Education Board had their terms automatically
renewed.
The terms for trustees Guadalupe Candelaria, Mary Anne Filice
and Patricia Ward were up this year.
Their election would have been on the March 2 ballot, but since
no one filed papers to run against the incumbents, they won’t
appear on the ballot, said John Hodges, head county elections
official.
With no one to compete against, three members of the County Office of Education Board had their terms automatically renewed.
The terms for trustees Guadalupe Candelaria, Mary Anne Filice and Patricia Ward were up this year.
Their election would have been on the March 2 ballot, but since no one filed papers to run against the incumbents, they won’t appear on the ballot, said John Hodges, head county elections official.
“They were elected in lieu of an election so their name does not appear on the ballot,” Hodges said.
There are candidates whose names are on the ballots even when they don’t have competitors, including city council, city treasurer, city clerk, county elections head, sheriff and county treasurer/tax collector, Hodges said.
Being automatically elected is not uncommon.
Filice will start her fourth term this year and has only had one person compete for the position against her.
Candelaria will serve a sixth term and doesn’t remember anyone running against her either.
Ward could not be reached by press time, but records show she served part of a term in the late 1960s and has served continuously since 1980. This will be her eighth term.
“People just don’t have the time anymore, especially if they have young children,” Filice said.
“Us older people have the time to give,” she said jokingly.
The new term starts July 1. Terms are for four years. The terms of Trustees Mitch Dabo and Joan Campbell-Garcia are up in 2006.
Each of the five members serves a district that matches up with the county supervisor districts. Ward’s District 5 covers downtown Hollister; Filice’s District 1 includes north county; and San Juan Bautista is in Candelaria’s District 2.
The three incumbents were involved in education somehow when they first decided to run for the position.
Candelaria was a parent and served on various councils and committees at schools and districts.
Filice was a teacher at schools in the north part of San Benito County.
Ward has provided day care in the past and worked in the North County Joint Union School District.
“If you have a background in education, it’s a step in the door,” Filice said.
Filice was first appointed to the Board in 1993. A fellow community member was also interested in the vacancy, but that was the last time Filice had competition, she said.
Candelaria first ran for Board member in 1984. She lost a race for a school district and decided to try the county Board.
“Once you’ve been a part of the Board for this long, there are benefits to being a senior member – we have the history, the experience, we have the understanding of how important education is. We’re seasoned already,” Candelaria said about wanting to run again this year. “I feel I can still be beneficial, an asset to the Board.”
One of the hardest parts of being a Board member is staying within the budget and hearing interdistrict transfer appeals, Candelaria and Filice said.
“I hate making decisions that affect people’s lives. Especially with the interdistrict transfer appeals, there’s a possibility of making a mistake,” Filice said,
When the trustees can’t serve anymore, they hope someone will be interested in the position. Some people may think the current lack of competition echoes a lack of interest and caring about county education.
“I don’t worry about it. If a spot is open, somebody will come along and fill it,” Filice said.
The Board meetings are usually at 6 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at 460 Fifth St. The next meeting is March 11.
