Children’s plea led Keener to enter race

Published 6:16 pm Thursday, October 9, 2008

By Mark Millican

markmillican@daltoncitizen.com



When Ray Keener’s children asked him if they could attend school in Whitfield County, he knew something was up.

“My son wanted to go because of sports, but my daughter felt like she wasn’t being challenged enough academically,” he said. “I told them I would try to make it better, so that’s when I decided to run” for the Murray County Board of Education.

Keener’s daughter is 15 and his son is 12. He was asked if they were satisfied with his answer.

“They’re still attending Murray County schools,” he replied.

Keener is running as a Democrat in the Nov. 4 general election. He did not have an opponent in the primary. He faces Republican Greg Shoemaker for the District 4 seat. Shoemaker defeated incumbent Billy Webb in the primary. Shoemaker served in the District 7 at-large seat from 2003-2006. Current board member Josh Young ousted Shoemaker from that seat in the Republican primary in 2006.

Keener, 39, has been employed by Mohawk Industries for 10 years and is currently an engineering technician. He has certificates from Dalton State College in industrial electrical technology and industrial plant maintenance.

“As far as the budget goes, I don’t know if the (recent) cuts that were made (by the school system) were the best,” said Keener, referring to substitutes being cut unless approved for work by administrators. “We need our teachers and we need substitutes, but I was not on the school board and might have done the same. But I’d like to think there could have been some areas to cut to make up the difference.”

Asked to elaborate on possible cutbacks, he replied, “I could only guess because I’m not on the school board. I’d have to take a closer look to see what areas could be cut, if any.”

Keener said in his “opinion and speculation,” the Murray County Schools budget will be tight for quite awhile. In late July the board passed a budget of $60.39 million for fiscal year 2009. Superintendent Vickie Reed said then the 2 percent cut Gov. Sonny Perdue mandated statewide would cost the system between $868,000 and $966,000. Spending is being cut in direct instructional funds ($300,000), before- and after-school instruction ($155,000), media operations ($50,000) and technology ($7,000).

“I don’t know what to do to fix it, but we have to do something,” Keener said. “One thing I’ve always tried to do is keep an open mind. I’d be willing to listen to anyone who has an idea about how to get our kids a better education in Murray County. That includes business people, parents and students, because students are right there dealing with their education every day.”

Keener acknowledged that with the school board meeting several times a month at $50 per member, it “does add up.”

“If they’re necessary, that’s fine,” he said of meetings. “If they’re not necessary, let’s wait until five, seven or 10 items are ready to address before calling (a meeting), not just for one or two items.”

The first-time candidate said he wants Murray voters to know he is running “to try to make it better, some how or some way.”

“I’ve been told I’m an unknown,” he said, “and I don’t know how that will play.”