Five Republicans will compete for four open seats on the Karns City school board when voters head to the polls for the May 20 primary.

William Weibel, Donald Scherer, Zach Scherer, Cari M. Harmon and Robert Ken Bray will all be listed on the Republican ballot. Both Harmon and Bray cross-filed, meaning they are certain to advance on the Democratic ballot for the general election on Nov. 4.

Weibel and Donald Scherer did not respond to the candidate questions provided by the Butler Eagle.

Zach Scherer

Scherer, who is from Chicora, graduated from Karns City in 2021. In addition to his full-time job as a manager at Butler Walmart, he serves as an elected constable for Donegal Township.

He holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice and has taken classes relating to education, community matters, mental health, finances, ethics and criminology. Scherer also has been involved with his community’s fire and EMS departments.

Cari M. Harmon

Cari M. Harmon, of Brady’s Bend Township in Armstrong County, works in the health care field as a practice administrator.

Harmon said she is qualified for the role because she brings a combination of professional experience, community involvement and a commitment to education.

“I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility, transparency and policies that support students, community members and staff,” she said.

Robert Ken Bray

Bray, who lives in Fairview Township, is a lifelong resident of the area and a graduate of the Karns City Area School District. Bray is a school bus driver for Shriver Bus Co. and has previously served as a school board member.

“I have strived for more transparency between the school and the public,” he said. “I have been active in keeping the kids' education, safety and experience at the forefront. I have helped in navigating the elementary school project, helping come in very close to the initial proposed budget for that project.”

Donald Scherer

Scherer is a 1993 Karns City alumnus and a community volunteer. He has three children, two who have graduated from the Karns City district and another who attends school there. He holds a degree in electrical science and has been a union electrician for more than 25 years.

Zach Scherer: “I decided to run after the closure and merger of Sugarcreek Elementary. I feel some of the new ideas that are rumored to be done at the property are showing a lack of financial accountability.”

Harmon: “Prior to my election to the board, I was the (Parent Teacher Organization) president at Sugarcreek Elementary for seven years. During my time in that role, I gained an interest in wanting to be more involved in the development of policies and procedures in our school district.”

Bray: “To advocate for the kids' needs and ensure that they're interested or represented. To address challenges facing the school such as budget concerns academic performance and school safety.“

Zach Scherer: “I plan on making sure that Butler County Vocational-Technical School continues to get the necessary funding from our district. Being that we send three buses of students there daily, it is very important to not look like two other districts that did not approve the next year's budget for the vo-tech. I am going to continue to be very transparent with the community, promote academic excellence and be sure safety of staff and students is the top priority.”

Harmon: “Ensuring that every student has access to high-quality education, strengthening support for teachers and staff, and improving communication between the board, families and the community.”

Bray: “When we look ahead to upcoming projects let's prioritize quality and value while keeping the community informed every step of the way. Transparency between the school and community is key to our success.”

Zach Scherer: “One of the biggest issues the district is seeing right now is the demolition of Sugarcreek Elementary and what to do with the property. Currently, our baseball team utilizes Pullman Park. I believe we need a baseball field, but we have to be sure there is correct funding to do so. With the recent expansion project at Chicora Elementary, and now the renovation of the Junior/Senior High School, we must put education before sports complexes, or the Junior/Senior High School will begin to crumble like Sugarcreek did.

“Another issue is that the support staff of the district is paid less than people that work at entry-level basic jobs. I would look in to see a slight pay increase of support staff. Getting substitute teachers within the district is very hard, because of the daily rate of pay, which I would also like to begin investigating potential increases in the pay where funding is available.”

Harmon: “Aging of facilities — the high school needs upgrades. I will work on prioritizing facility improvements through responsible budgeting and long-term planning. I also believe we can investigate funding and grant options to help minimize the burden on taxpayers.

“Substitute teacher/staff shortage: I support competitive wages and incentives to help promote open substitution positions.

“Equity and access: Our district covers a large geographical area, across three counties. I believe it is important to ensure that every student, regardless of zip code, background and ability, has equal access to opportunity.”

Bray: “New roof: prioritize getting the new roof installed as soon as possible to prevent further damage and potential safety hazards.Keep our building and ground up to date and maintained.

“Staying on budget: Regularly review and adjust the budget.

“Academics: focus on improving academic outcomes by investing in teacher training curriculum development and resources that support student learning.”

Zach Scherer: “It will not impact our district, nor cut any sort of funding. The power goes back to the states, where funding will continue to be distributed to school districts within our commonwealth.”

Harmon: “If the Department of Education were eliminated it could have a significant impact on our district. We could lose access to special-education federal funding, low-income student support and school nutrition programs. I would advocate that our state work to protect these programs and that our district continues to maintain our standards despite any shift in federal funding that may take place.”

Bray: “It is uncertain what will happen if the board of education is restructured or removed. Federal funding should go to the states, which would then have to be redistributed to the schools. There is a lot of uncertainty there.”

Zach Scherer: “I will always vote no on a tax increase to the residents of the school district. I have taken many finance classes throughout college and understand how budgets work. What needs to be remembered is that education comes first, followed by extracurricular activities. This is big right now based on the upcoming renovation of the Junior/Senior High as well as the demolition at Sugarcreek.”

Harmon: “I believe that we should have a transparent budget, prioritize spending and long-term financial planning. I would not support raising taxes without a clear, data-supported, need to do so. I believe that any tax increase would need to have clear communication showing how funds will be used to ensure that these proposed spends are a necessity to our students, their education and the district and/or community as a whole.”

Bray: “Review the district's budget to identify areas where costs can be reduced or optimized. Research potential grant opportunities. Historically KCASD has not raised taxes often. They've only been raised as needed at a low rate. I will strive to continue that trend.”

Zach Scherer: “The school district should keep the property after Sugarcreek is torn down. Evaluations need to take place at the Jr/Sr High as far as quotes for the renovation project before any decisions are made at the site of the old elementary. We have to be sure there is adequate funding available for all projects necessary to keep the district comfortable without tax hikes. After this is accomplished, I would not be opposed to seeing the property be used for extracurricular activities.”

Harmon: “I feel that it is premature to answer this question as we are still in the discovery phase and early discussions. My goal for the Sugarcreek property is to utilize it in a way that we can keep it as a part of our district and an asset to both the community and our school.”

Bray: “After the old elementary school is demolished several steps could be taken to ensure the property is properly repurposed, the site would need to be thoroughly cleaned up and graded. Get the community involved and use some of their ideas. Based on the needs of the school district, kids and community, it could be used for many things. It is undecided as of yet.”

More election coverage can be found here.