Fourth hopeful joins race for Olympia School Board

By Venice Buhain | The Olympian • Published April 29, 2008

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OLYMPIA – Olympia real estate attorney and civic leader Allen Miller has joined three other candidates for the vacant seat on the Olympia School Board.

Former school board member John Keeffe, budget advisory group chairman Paul Parker, and middle school math committee member Theresa Tsou also are candidates for the position, according to Educational Service District 113, which will interview the candidates next month.

Miller, the father of a Olympia High School junior and two graduates, said Tuesday that he decided to put his name in the running to ensure that the district maintains a wide variety of programs.

The ESD 113 will appoint a board member because the remaining four members of the school board deadlocked and failed to come to a decision within 90 days of ex-board member Rich Nafziger's January resignation.

Board split

Board members Carolyn Barclift and Frank Wilson backed Keeffe, while board members Bob Shirley and Russ Lehman backed either Parker or Tsou.

Miller said put his name forward as a possible "candidate that people can agree on."

"I don't know the circumstances about their perceived differences, except by reading about it," he said. "I'm hoping most of the votes can be five-nothing votes instead of split."

Miller has a long list of civic activities, including past campaign chairman and past president of the United Way of Thurston County, a school board member of St. Michael School, Olympia Planning Commissioner, and board member of the Olympia-Yashiro Sister City Association, South Sound YMCA and other organizations.

Miller said his experience with mediation could be an asset on the board.

"I'm an attorney and I've been involved in arbitration, and I've been a mediator and arbitrator," he said.

"I try to bring people together, and I've been able to look at all sides."

ESD Board Members Howard Coble, Dean Winner and Bill Brumsickle have been working on the interview process, which will take place at the board's public meeting May 14 at the ESD offices. The interview time is tentatively scheduled for noon, he said.

"We're hoping that we'll make a decision" that day, he said. "But if we didn't get it done, we won't rush it. We'll have a thorough interview."