The future of Reynoldsburg schools is riddled with challenges and opportunities, from financial woes to the opening of two new schools in 2011.

Eight residents want to be on the school board to lead the way, but only three seats are available in the Nov. 3 election, which also will determine the fate of a 9.9-mill property-tax levy.

Two former levy campaign co-chairmen, a booster-club officer, a longtime district volunteer and a staunch levy opponent are challenging the three incumbents -- including the board president and vice president.

One candidate, Leanora Jenkins, has dropped out of the race.

G. Daryl Albrecht

Albrecht, 40, served as a campaign co-chairman for the 15.6-mill operating levy that voters turned down in May. What he learned inspired him to run for the school board.

"I had a chance to see the communication gap that exists between our school district and our community," said Albrecht, a communications consultant with Convergys, which helps companies with customer relationships.

He supports the district's November tax request. If elected, he said, he'll work on engaging the public with the district's issues, from its financial situation to its districtwide STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) initiative.

Kristin J. Bryant

Bryant recently experienced the impact of the district's financial woes as she watched football players struggle to pay the $500 fee needed to play. The situation inspired her to join the school board race.

"It's been an ugly scene," said Bryant, whose 16-year-old son is a football player. She is treasurer of the Reynoldsburg Football Parents Association.

"There's got to be a better way to get these kids involved in extracurricular activities that they've enjoyed for years without having to sacrifice their future."

Bryant, a 39-year-old lawyer, supports the November levy but considers it a Band-Aid and said the district needs to come up with other means of funding its schools. She said the board must find better ways, such as an earned-income tax, to raise taxes without adding to the burden of older residents on fixed incomes.

Ryan Brzezinski

Brzezinski, who is 40 and graduated from Reynoldsburg in 1987, has supported the district by serving as PTO president and volunteering for four levy and bond campaign groups. He supports the November levy and is on the superintendent's advisory committee. He said he would like to see more community forums to gather input from residents, and he thinks that the current school board is not doing what the community wants.

"I want transparency and better communication with the public," said Brzezinski, a lieutenant with the Columbus Division of Fire.

"We do not keep the public informed on what is going on with our schools. The current board does not have the trust or confidence of the public."

David W. Hedrick

Hedrick, an Ohio State University student studying political science, said the district's current fiscal situation boils down to poor planning.

"We've been deficit spending since 2005," he said. "It's clear the burden is too high (for taxpayers) because we haven't planned for the future."

But he supports the November levy and was a campaign co-chairman for the May levy. He said the district needs to slow the growth of expenditures because of teacher salary raises.

Hedrick, 19, graduated from Reynoldsburg High School last year.

Cheryl Max

Max, who was appointed to the board in 1995, is running on the same platform as she did in her first election.

"I've got a real passion for the students in Reynoldsburg," said Max, the school board president. "I don't have a personal agenda. I think I've been fair, and I think I've always kept the best interests of the kids in the forefront."

She said her priority is resolving financial issues by passing the November levy.

Max is 51 and the assistant general manager at Fort Rapids Indoor Waterpark Resort.

James A. Slonaker Jr.

Slonaker is seeking a second term to complete tasks such as the STEM initiative and the construction of two schools. He also wants to find a solution to the district's money problems.

"The way the economy is and the school district is looking for money, I've never been one to walk away from problems," said Slonaker, 53, a geographical-information-systems support technician for Columbia Gas.

He supports the November levy.

Andrew Swope

After a decade on the school board, Swope said now is not the time to retire.

"The district is in a situation that requires experience from the board," said Swope, the panel's vice president.

He referred to the district's financial problems after failed levy attempts and the opening of two schools. Swope, 49 and an accountant, supports the November request.

Elaine M. Tornero

After the district's repeated requests to raise taxes, Tornero said the May operating levy was "the straw that broke the camel's back."

She questioned the district's financial decisions, pointing to the dramatic difference in last November's 6.9-mill operating request and the 15.6-mill levy request in May.

"I want common sense brought to the board," said Tornero, 53, who is a stay-at-home mother who home-schooled her six children.

She voted against the May levy and does not support the request in November.

cboss@dispatch.com