Finalist Candidate Meets Waterville Community

With a professional background in school safety, Waterville Central School superintendent candidate Joe Muller said he would make safety a priority over education.

“My number one priority is safety. Education comes second,’’ he told about 50 people who attended a community forum last week at Waterville Junior-Senior High School. “It’s all about communication. Anything we do will succeed or fail based on communication.’’

Muller, who is the assistant superintendent for business in the Whitesboro School District, spent last Thursday at Waterville meeting staff, teachers, students and community members. He is the only finalist candidate so far who has interviewed in the district to replace Superintendent Chuck Chafee when he retires June 30.

Students, parents, grandparents, teachers and community members attended the evening forum which wrapped up Muller’s day in the district.

Dr. Patricia Kilburn, superintendent of Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, facilitated the forum and explained her role in the search process. She did initial phone interviews with each applicant who met the required qualifications, she said.

She then compiled her notes for the Waterville Board of Education. Board members then developed questions centered on Waterville, she said, in the areas of finance, negotiations, test data and other areas.

Those applicants then spent 90 minutes interviewing with the board, including showing their entry plan should they be hired.

“The board knew there was a significant chance they would not be interviewing sitting superintendents,’’ Kilburn said. Board members also asked four indepth questions to gauge how the candidate would approach those areas.

“Once compiled the board chose one candidate to come forward,’’ Kilburn said. Muller then…