After nine years of serving his community as a member of the Dansville school board, Peter Bacon has decided it’s time to step aside and focus on his family.
Bacon said it was from a desire to give something back to his community and alma mater that led him to run for the school board. Bacon had been on the education committee for Dansville’s former ad hoc group PRIDE (Progress, Responsibility, Initiative, Development, Enthusiasm) at the time.
“I think that’s what kind of gave me the desire to run for school board,” he said. After some encouragement from school board member Mary Ann Holden, he then successfully pursued a seat on the school board.
During the past nine years, Bacon said highlights have included helping get the district out of financial distress early on during in his tenure, building up reserves and having successful budgets. But financial issues have crept up again with recent state aid cuts. The tough decisions the board has had to make in light of those cuts have been his greatest challenge as a school board member.
Among the most difficult was the board’s decision to close the middle school last year. “That was probably the biggest decision...that we struggled with for many months,” Bacon said.
Other struggles included the budget defeat last year, plus having to eliminate staff positions.
“It doesn’t make any difference how long you’ve been there, those are difficult choices that you try to remove yourself from, and make hopefully in the best interest of the district,” he explained. “And I hope they work.”
About four years ago, Bacon was given the opportunity to serve as the board’s vice president when Tony Witte decided it was time to step down, himself.
Bacon humbly said that serving in that capacity was not any greater of a role than any other on the school board, just that he was the person to fill if the board president was not available to run a meeting. That happened once during his tenure, he recalled.
It was after seeing that his three children — Maggie, 6; Ally, 14 and Noah, 15 — are growing and becoming more involved in various activities themselves, and realizing conflicting schedules are preventing him from spending as much time with them as he would like, that helped him decide it was time to step aside and allow someone else the same opportunity he has had to serve the district and community.
That someone else is former Express staff writer Dan Bishop. The changeover took effect July 1. The school board appointed Clay Harris as its new VP during its annual reorganizational meeting July 2.
“I enjoyed being part of the school board,” Bacon said. “And I wish them continued success in the future.”
The board presented Bacon with a plaque for his dedicated service during its June 26 regular meeting.
After nine years of serving his community as a member of the Dansville school board, Peter Bacon has decided it’s time to step aside and focus on his family.
Bacon said it was from a desire to give something back to his community and alma mater that led him to run for the school board. Bacon had been on the education committee for Dansville’s former ad hoc group PRIDE (Progress, Responsibility, Initiative, Development, Enthusiasm) at the time.
“I think that’s what kind of gave me the desire to run for school board,” he said. After some encouragement from school board member Mary Ann Holden, he then successfully pursued a seat on the school board.
During the past nine years, Bacon said highlights have included helping get the district out of financial distress early on during in his tenure, building up reserves and having successful budgets. But financial issues have crept up again with recent state aid cuts. The tough decisions the board has had to make in light of those cuts have been his greatest challenge as a school board member.
Among the most difficult was the board’s decision to close the middle school last year. “That was probably the biggest decision...that we struggled with for many months,” Bacon said.
Other struggles included the budget defeat last year, plus having to eliminate staff positions.
“It doesn’t make any difference how long you’ve been there, those are difficult choices that you try to remove yourself from, and make hopefully in the best interest of the district,” he explained. “And I hope they work.”
About four years ago, Bacon was given the opportunity to serve as the board’s vice president when Tony Witte decided it was time to step down, himself.
Bacon humbly said that serving in that capacity was not any greater of a role than any other on the school board, just that he was the person to fill if the board president was not available to run a meeting. That happened once during his tenure, he recalled.
It was after seeing that his three children — Maggie, 6; Ally, 14 and Noah, 15 — are growing and becoming more involved in various activities themselves, and realizing conflicting schedules are preventing him from spending as much time with them as he would like, that helped him decide it was time to step aside and allow someone else the same opportunity he has had to serve the district and community.
That someone else is former Express staff writer Dan Bishop. The changeover took effect July 1. The school board appointed Clay Harris as its new VP during its annual reorganizational meeting July 2.
“I enjoyed being part of the school board,” Bacon said. “And I wish them continued success in the future.”
The board presented Bacon with a plaque for his dedicated service during its June 26 regular meeting.
