I urge voters in the Lindbergh School District to re-elect current Board President Mark Rudoff on April 8.

While Mr. Rudoff and I have certainly had some differing views on subjects such as school administrators’ salaries, he has kept an admirably steady hand on the board during his tenure. Mr. Rudoff even had the courage to be the lone dissenting vote on the board as they relaxed their nepotism policy.

Contrast his firm, honest leadership to the circus of characters acting as board presidents at the Mehlville School District. We can go back to 2004 when President Cindy Christopher and Secretary Marea Kluth-Hoppe told us Prop P would be $20 million over budget. Two years later, President Rita Diekemper and Secretary Mike Heins presided over the epic defeat of Prop A, a 30-percent tax increase.

Just when weary south county thought things had hit rock bottom, now President Tom Diehl and Secretary Mike Ocello drop the bombshell that the district’s operating reserves will be gone in two years. What is in the water at that district? Whatever it is, I sure hope students aren’t allowed to drink it, as ineptness such as the above shouldn’t be tolerated on any level. Don’t come to the taxpayers asking us to bail out your latest round of bad decisions.

Mr. Diehl’s inability to examine future budgets gives us no reason to entrust him with any additional revenue.

I guarantee that the investors in the many strip clubs that Mr. Ocello owns won’t tolerate mediocrity like this. Why should residents?

Aaron Hilmer

Oakville

Editor’s note: Mr. Hilmer serves as chairman of the Mehlville Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors.