Ward 3 — Montello and Geiger school area

Eugene Paul Dumont

Age: 67

Address: 23 Orange St.

Occupation: Retired, part-time United Ambulance wheelchair driver

Education: Graduated Lewiston High School 1964

Political experience: Lewiston School Committee member; served on the search committee to find a new Lewiston school superintendent in 2010.

Community organizations: Pastime Club

What is the biggest problem you perceive in Lewiston schools, and how will you work to correct it?

The Lewiston Regional Technical Center has got to be expanded. There are more kids who apply, but there are only so many open slots.

 What do you think is going right in Lewiston schools, something you want to support?

Technology is going in the right direction, at the junior high school and the high school as well. I think technology and the laptops should be expanded. There should be more technology.

Lewiston’s student population of Somali immigrant students, many who are learning to speak English, continues to climb. Do you approve of how they’re being taught, where they’re going to school, how their needs are being met? Do you see any need for change? If so, what?

The Somali student population is a diverse group. Lewiston is handling it the proper way with the English Language Learners program. The superintendent has a good handle on it. The growing population is something Lewiston has to deal with, we don’t have a choice. We’re doing it in the right way.

When the next proposed Lewiston school budget comes out, would you favor flat-funding, a higher budget, or passing a lower budget?

I’d like to see a higher budget, the reason is our student population is growing. We need to have more money. You can’t have services without paying for them. But more services would have to be curtailed so it would not be a bad impact on the taxpayers of Lewiston. We need more state and federal funding.

Superintendent Bill Webster has released projections showing Lewiston’s enrollment will continue to grow at 100 students per year, and that more space is needed. He’s recommending turning the Lewiston Multi-Purpose Center into a prekindergarten school for the city, expanding the middle school and expanding McMahon. Lewiston senior citizens do not want to give up their space at the Multi-Purpose Center. Do you approve or disapprove of this plan?

I approve of Bill Webster’s plan, but not necessarily for the Multi-Purpose Center. If that building could be enlarged that would be awesome. There are other buildings that could be utilized for the pre-k programs. I just feel we should try to find other sources and not take anything away from the seniors, even if we have to expand the Multi-Purpose building, or find another venue or building for the pre-k program.

Why are you running?

I have the time. I want to pay back what the Lewiston schools and the city of Lewiston have given me. I care about the students of Lewiston. I want to share some of my energies and experience. I worked for Hudson Bus for seven years. I was a supervisor. I want to make sure everything is run right, and we’re spending the right dollars for education.