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Sisters, Oregon
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Dolson named to school board
By Jim Cornelius

Eric Dolson will serve out the year remaining on the school board term of Heather Wester, who has resigned.

The board appointed Dolson, publisher of The Nugget, among four candidates after an interview session on Monday, June 10.

The other candidates were Bonnie Malone, Mike Gould and Jo Zucker.

Each candidate was asked the same six questions, along with follow-ups, and each candidate asked questions of board members.

Dolson was quizzed closely about the potential for conflict between his role as a board member and his role as a publisher whose newspaper covers the school district.

There is no inherent conflict for the board, Dolson believes, because the board is a public entity, whose actions must occur in the public eye and be reported upon.

That issue is "not a conflict for the board as much as it is for the employees of The Nugget," Dolson said.

He acknowledged that some might believe The Nugget's coverage is tainted by his presence on the board, but he noted that the public has the ability to attend meetings and see for themselves if the coverage is accurate.

Dolson cited strong leadership and community support as the greatest strengths of the district.

He noted that a small district such as Sisters is challenged in providing curriculum options -- especially in the face of budget constraints.

He also cited a lack of parental involvement among some in the community as an element that should be changed.

"I think there are too many parents who think schools are placed to warehouse kids eight hours a day," he said.

Dolson brings considerable experience to the board. He served on two school district long-range planning committees and served as chair of the Deschutes County Planning Commission and on the state Board of Medical Examiners.

Questions to the board from candidates underlined some of the tensions of a year filled with contentious issues surrounding the construction of the new Sisters High School.

Board members acknowledged that disagreements over the disposition of interest money and other issues became more personal than they should have.

However, board member Steve Keeton noted that "a board member who feels strongly about something should stand up and fight for it."

Dolson will serve from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003. He told the board that he would stand for election in May for a further two-year term.

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