On Tuesday’s ballot, regardless of party, voters within the Parkers Chapel School District will choose a new school board member.
Incumbent Wes Taylor, 48 of El Dorado, and challenger Bonnie B. Fish, 66 of El Dorado, are both vying for the five-year term as the Position 2 representative.
Occupation
Taylor: Computer consultant with Wes Taylor Consulting
Fish: Accountant/office manager at Mac Farlane Co.-USA, LLC
Education
Taylor: BS in computer science from Louisiana Tech University
Fish: BBA in accounting from Southern Arkansas University
Family
Taylor: Wife, Gina; three sons: Ryan, Alex and Austin Looney; and one daughter, Ali Looney.
Fish: Husband, Roy C. Fish, Jr.; daughter, Lyn Jackson; and granddaughter, Ashley Jackson.
Past political
experience, if any
Taylor: Member of Parkers Chapel School Board since 2006; board president from 2009-2016; and vice president from 2006-2008 and currently.
Fish: Previously served 18 years on the school board, from 1989-2007.
What are the responsibilities of the position and how would you tackle the job?
Taylor: “The main responsibilities of a school board member are to attend school board meetings, set mission and direction, make policies, hire staff and the superintendent, evaluate the superintendent and oversee finances and budget. I will continue to take these responsibilities seriously and as I always have, base my decisions on what is best for the students of Parkers Chapel.”
Fish: “The board is responsible for overseeing operations and responsibly managing funds entrusted to the school by our taxpayers.”
Why did you choose to run?
Taylor: “I chose to run for re-election because Parkers Chapel School is very important to me. We have accomplished a lot as a board in the last 12 years, and I know there is so much more we can achieve as a district in the years to come.”
Fish: “I previously served 18 years on this board, 1989-2007, and every year since I left the board, I have been approached by other residents and asked to consider serving again. This year, the timing seemed right.”
What makes you the best person for the job?
Taylor: “I have known my opponent, Bonnie Fish, for a long time. I served with her on the Parkers Chapel School Board until she resigned in 2007. I currently serve on the school board with her niece. I have a lot of respect for Bonnie and her family. However, I feel I am still the best person for Position 2 for many reasons. After graduating from Parkers Chapel in 1987, I returned as an active member of the community in 1998 when my oldest son started kindergarten and have consistently remained involved. Along with my service on the school board, I served as PTA President, and my support for the extra-curricular activities and athletic programs at Parkers Chapel has been steady. From coaching peewee football, basketball, baseball and softball teams and volunteering as a DJ at school dances to serving for many years as a public address announcer at home ballgames and on our live internet broadcast network, my commitment to our school has never ceased. With my two youngest children as freshmen at PC, I am committed to remaining a part of Parkers Chapel School District.”
Fish: “My training and experience as an accountant would be assets to the board in making decisions regarding finances and other aspects of the daily operations of a public school.”
Other comments
Taylor said he supports the Public School Choice Act as students deserve the option to attend another district if the one they reside in is not providing them a quality education. He wants to see the school district continue to improve academic programs and make the campus more secure. He supports having school personnel who are armed and can immediately respond to a school threat, whether that is a school resource officer, security guard or properly trained teachers or administrators.
Fish said the Parkers Chapel School District has always had a reputation of providing students with a safe, well-rounded education, and she wants to continue that tradition. She said several nieces and nephews are currently enrolled, and she wants them to be afforded the same opportunities as her other family members who attended the district and enjoyed their years with Parkers Chapel.