Marsha Croninger has been my colleague on the SBCC Board of Trustees for the past eight years, and I support her for reelection. I am pleased that the Independent shares my conviction.

Marsha has worked tirelessly over these past, sometimes challenging, years. She is a master at understanding the complexities of our budget — no simple matter. There is a heavy responsibility associated with spending nearly $100 million of taxpayer money to achieve the mission of the college.

The issues that confront us are rarely subject to instant or easy analysis. They are complicated, and we recognize that no single member of our board has all the answers. We work together. We listen. We try to understand the other’s point of view before we take a vote. This does not mean that there are no serious disagreements; there are! Sometimes, I find myself voting in opposition to Marsha after a lively discussion. But that’s all good! Effective public policy requires that elected officials draw their own conclusions and vote their conscience, but only after hearing from each other and from the community.

The public has a right to demand that SBCC’s Trustees are:

• well qualified for the office

• well prepared for Board meetings

• honest and transparent in their public statements

• civil in their interaction with others

• and dedicated to the mission of the college

Marsha Croninger is all of these, and she deserves to be reelected.

Peter O. Haslund is a member of the SBCC Board of Trustee.

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