School Board Election Attracting Big Field

Don King (above) and Rev. Kevin Dobbs (below) are the incumbents.

There may be as many as eight men running for two seats on the Niagara Falls School Board this season.

While not all have officially announced, and given the crowded field some may ultimately choose not to run, the list of men who have expressed a serious interest in running appears to consist of the two incumbent board members.

Don King, who operates the Polly King Art Gallery is seeking his eighth term and Rev. Kevin Dobbs, the founder and pastor of the Christ Redemption Tabernacle Church in Niagara Falls, is seeking his fourth term.

In addition to the two incumbents, two other candidates have emerged and announced their intention to run. They are Herbert Lewis, a Seneca Niagara Casino Security Officer, and Anthony Paretto, an electrician, with strong support from city Democrats, led by Nick Forster.

Also said to be considering a run are Nick Melson, a former aide to former Assemblywoman Francine Del Monte; Tyrone Wooten, a carpenter and board member of Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope; Ron Barstys, a teacher and bowling coach and Mike Gawel, an accountant and executive member of the Niagara Falls City Republican Committee.

And who knows, there may be more entering the race.

Traditionally, the school board elections are rather tame affairs, with only a fraction, sometimes hovering around 10 percent, of eligible voters coming out to vote. But if most of these men actually run, we may see a contrast of ideas, a keener interest by the community in the management of the school district, and, as a consequence, new voting turnout records.