One candidate each so far in San Jac board races

So far, each of the races for three San Jacinto College Board seats is a one-man contest.

The deadline for candidates to file is Monday, March 14. Voters will choose members for board seats 1, 2, and 7 during this May's election.

No one has yet filed to challenge incumbent Dr. Ruede Wheeler for Position 2. Brad Hance will run for Position 1, currently held by Ben Meador, who has opted not to run for re-election. Keith Sinor has filed as a
candidate for Position 7, vacated when C. Wayne Slovacek retired in December 2007.

David L. Janda had also filed to run for Position 7, but the college announced today that he had withdrawn his application.

Wheeler is a retired dentist from La Porte, and Hance lives in Pasadena and is CEO of MECO Inc.

Wheeler, who's served on the board for 25 years says he and the other board members should primarily focus on budget concerns and a program called Achieve The Dream.

"San Jacinto takes all students...many of them come not prepared and they drop out," Wheeler says. "We're trying to improve students' success, and we're making headway on that too. We've got some statistics showing that we're making some strides on that."

As the board faces a statewide budget crunch, Wheeler says, "one of the things we're focused on now is how to make cuts at the college without impacting students."

As for what he'd say to the two new candidates, Wheeler says, "I don't know that I'd give them advice, but I know one of the fellows [Hance] very well. The other fellow I don't know. Brad's going into it with his eyes wide open. He knows what's involved. Ben [Meador]'s talked to him at length."

Sinor lives in Deer Park and took summer classes at San Jacinto to get some required courses out of the way while attending Texas A&M. He says his experience as co-owner Sinor Engine Company will benefit the college's finances.

"I think that lends itself well to looking at a financial statement of a college and knowing where you can cut, where you can't cut, things like that," Sinor says.

Though Sinor says he can't say "right off hand" which specific issues he'd like to focus on if elected, he cites his experience working with the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce, Deer Park Rotary Club and says that "I just felt like, the college is a very important part of the community out here."

"I think just overall, improving the college overall, and improving the atmosphere for the students is the main priority," he adds.