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Arne Waltmire: Candidate Profile

Mchenry Commmunity College School Board (6-year Terms)

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: McHenryWebsite: http://www.arnewaltmire.comOffice sought: Mchenry Commmunity College School Board (6-year Terms)Age: 60Family: I have been happily married to my wife, Diane, for over 35 years. We have three grown sons. All three have graduated from Illinois community colleges. Two sons have graduated from MCC.Occupation: High school industrial technology teacher. I have taught high school automotive technology and metal technology classes for over 28 years. I am currently teaching at Crystal Lake South High School.Education: Bachelor of Science from Central Michigan University Master of Arts in Teaching Leadership from St. Xavier UniversityCivic involvement: I am a member of the First United Methodist Church of McHenry, where I have served as a church trustee and also as co-superintendent of the Sunday school. In addition, I serve on the MCC Automotive Advisory Committee.Elected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 To ensure that students at MCC have access to a wide selection of courses and training programs that will prepare them for today's competitive job market.Key Issue 2 I will be a strong advocate for keeping the child care center open at MCC so that students with children can attend classes and further their education.Key Issue 3 I will continue to oppose MCC's outdated and wasteful $640 million, 40-yerar expansion plan and call for common-sense, data-driven expansion that benefits both students and taxpayers.Questions Answers With enrollment up at my many community colleges, it can be challenging to keep pace as far as available classroom/lab space, the number of qualified teachers and available course work options. How would you manage that?We must first explore all currently available options before considering using taxpayer money to build new facilities for MCC. We could address the space issue by offering courses at night, late afternoons, and on weekends in addition to offering classes at area high schools and other community centers. utilizing pre-existing space would allow MCC to hire additional qualified teachers, expand course options and offer a first-class educational experience to our students.In tough economic times, many students (and working professionals) turn to a community college for its educational value. How do you ensure that a person's financial sacrifice results in an educational benefit?Helping MCC students and graduates attain the American Dream of a good paying job should be our number one priority. By working closely with our partners in business and labor, we can match the needs of those hiring with the skills of those MCC students and graduates looking for work. As a member of the Board, I would strongly encourage partnership programs and additional events including seminars to help job seekers prepare resumes and job fairs to bring employers directly to MCC.Is a tax rate increase needed and, if so, how do you justify it?A tax rate increase should only be a last resort to raise funds and should only be passed with a balanced, comprehensive plan that would benefit both students and taxpayers.Community colleges provide many services to a diverse population. Is there a service your college should be providing that it is not, or reaching a segment of the population that it is not?I believe that MCC should constantly be looking for ways to expand its reach into our community, better serving its students and the taxpayers that support them. I look forward to helping expand critical job training programs that will provide additional economic opportunities for the next generation of McHenry County residents.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the community college board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.As a teacher with nearly three decades in the classroom, the most rewarding aspect of being an educator is helping prepare students for a career and seeing them reach their goals. If I am elected to the MCC Board, I will make it my mission to ensure that every MCC students is given the opportunity to turn their education into a successful job and a good day's wages. I will fight to make MCC work for the students who attend our classes and the taxpayers who fund them by advocating for common-sense budgets and balanced plans for future expansion. I hope to bring the same enthusiasm for our county's future to the MCC Board that I have brought to my classroom over the years and continue in my work to give every student an opportunity to fulfill their American Dream.