Three vie for schools’ Berkeley District seat [The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va.]

Oct. 21--ABOUT THE SERIES -- Campaign 2013 stories focus on local elections.

Three candidates--incumbent Gil Seaux, local horse-riding instructor Erin Grampp and longtime Spotsylvania County schools employee Mark Marshall--are vying for the Berkeley District School Board seat in November.

Seaux has held the seat since 2006, four of those years as chairman and one as vice chair.

Seaux, a retired financial planner and Air Force colonel, has paid special attention to the finances of the district and serves on the local finance committee for the board.

A controversy over reimbursements for travel expenses for the board that came to light in 2012 marred Seaux's most-recent term when it was revealed that he charged taxpayers for near-daily trips from his home to the central office.

He said the main issue he looks toward in the future is finding a way to provide a quality education with a limited budget. Seaux said he also hopes to reduce class size and provide competitive compensation for staff.

Grampp, a lifelong resident of Spotsylvania County and endorsed in the race by the Republican party, holds a degree in economics from the University of Mary Washington and graduated from Spotsylvania'sCourtland High School in 1998.

Grampp is an advocate for employee salaries, and said she hopes to raise them if elected while keeping a balanced school budget.

She said the budget needs to be a larger priority for the School Board and that the board needs to focus on classroom needs so teachers pay for less out of pocket.

She also wants to expand career-readiness training in the division.

"I hope to avoid the cookie-cutter approach to education," she said, acknowledging that all students have different needs and interests.

Grampp is the owner, operator and trainer at EKG Stables, a horseback-riding school and boarding facility.

She has previously served as an officer on the board of directors for the Battlefield Horse Show Association.

Marshall, a 17-year employee for the school system as an HVAC engineer, said he has seen the wasteful spending at work from the inside and knows how to reduce it.

His wife Amy, a teacher, also works for the division, and his two children attend Spotsylvania schools.

Marshall, a 1995 graduate of Spotsylvania High School, does not have prior experience on a governing body, but has held leadership positions in the Lake Anna Chamber of Commerce, Berkeley Sportsman Group and Partlow Ruritans.

Marshall is also interested in protecting and expanding employee benefits and salaries.

Another priority stated by Marshall is ensuring student safety and quality education in district schools.

Lindley Estes: 540/735-1976

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UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES

LEE HILL

Incumbent Amanda Blalock is running unopposed for the Lee Hill School Board seat, which she has held since 2008. She became chairwoman this year and was vice chair between 2009 and 2010.

"As we move forward with developing strategies for the FY 2015 budget, we are looking for ways we can increase employee compensation, maintain class sizes, and continue to provide the best programs and services for all of our students. I want Spotsylvania County Public Schools to be the best division in Virginia as well as the country," she said.

BATTLEFIELD

Baron Braswell, who ran for the Battlefield seat in 2009 and lost to Linda Wieland by only 29 votes, is also running unopposed.

Braswell is a longtime school volunteer coach, and decided to run in 2009 for School Board because of the death of his son Baron "Deuce" Braswell Jr. at a high school party.

Braswell, an insurance agent and retired Army captain, said his top priority is ending high athletic activity fees for students. He also wants to implement tiered raises for teachers and investigate coaching stipends.

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