Eight candidates in Hilmar school board races

There are three openings on the Hilmar Unified School District Board.

In trustee area one, Tim Jones, an incumbent, is running unopposed.

In trustee area two, six candidates are vying for two seats.

In trustee area three, Luis Freitas, an incumbent, is running unopposed.

Meet the candidates for trustee area two:

Tony Borba

Borba filed election papers to run for the school board on Aug. 5. His occupation is listed as retired on election documents.

Borba did not return several calls to a phone number included on election documents.

Randy Edwards

Edwards, 43, is the owner of Edwards, Lien, and Toso, Inc., an appraisal and brokerage company.

He’s lived in Hilmar for 18 years and is originally from Porterville. Edwards’ three children, all boys, attend three schools in the district: Elim Elementary, Hilmar Middle, and Hilmar High schools.

“I’ve got these three kids in school and I just want to make a difference,” he said.

He decided to run for the board for “multitudes of reasons,” he said.

“One of the main reasons is the financial turmoil the schools are in,” he said. “I believe that my business background will lend a hand in that situation in the future. With my business experience and knowledge of all things financial, I think I will be a strong board member.”

Edwards said additional qualifications for the job included his entrepreneurial spirit and community involvement. He is on the finance council at his church and has served on the educational committee of the American Society of Farm Managers and Appraisers, he said.

Debbrah Katsounakis

Katsounakis, 47, is running for the school board for the first time.

She has one son at Hilmar High School, and her two older boys graduated from there.

“I’m a mom that wants to make a difference. I want to be a voice for other parents,” she said. “I love kids and I want the best for all of our kids.”

A paralegal, Katsounakis said the biggest issue the school board will face is financial.

“Its tough times for California. Its tough times for the citizens of California,” she said. “I think they’ve (the board) done what they could with what they were facing.”

She said her experience with budgets and role as a supervisor with the United States Postal Service were unique qualifications for the job.

Katsounakis is also president of the local chapter of the Central Valley Blue Star Mothers – an organization that supports mothers, fathers, and family members of troops in the armed forces.

Robert Machado

Machado, 37, has lived in Hilmar his entire life. He attended Merquin Elementary, Hilmar Middle and Hilmar High schools. His two children are in second and third grade at Elim Elementary School.

“My children and my community motivate me to take on the task of the school board,” Machado wrote in campaign materials that he provided to the Sun-Star in response to questions. “I would like to do all I can to insure my children and all of our children have the same experience I did growing up in a small town community like this.”

Machado also touted his ties with the community, including his work with the Hilmar Stevinson Youth Baseball Board, among his qualifications.

Machado’s father, Manuel, was a member of the school board for 13 years, and his brother, Dan, served on the board for 16 years, he said.

William “Bill” Hass

Hass, 41, is a correctional officer with the Merced County Sheriff’s Department. This is the first time he has run for election to the Hilmar school board.