Voters in the Port Neches-Groves Independent School District will choose between an incumbent and a newcomer for the Place 5 seat on the district’s board of trustees.

Incumbent Rodney Balsamo, 56, is facing Brandon Cropper, 39, in the race.

Balsamo is a Port Arthur Police officer and a licensed Realtor who first came onto the school board to serve the unexpired term of Harvey Brown Sr., who died in 2009. Balsamo was then elected to the position.

Balsamo said he doesn’t have any special interest groups and is a candidate for all employees, students and the community.

“We’re in changing times right now. There are a lot of needs in the school district and I bring years of experience my opponent doesn’t,” he said.

One issue at hand is the population explosion in the elementary schools. Assessments have been performed and the enrollment is increasing faster than the facilities can hold, he said.

“It’s a big obstacle for us,” he said. “How to fund improvements for the buildings and where are we going to get the money from. That’s the biggest issue. The elementary schools are very aged. The newest is Taft and it was built in the ‘60s.”

Balsamo also believes in fiscal transparency.

“I will continue to ask the tough questions and won’t rubber stamp anything. I read the agenda. I make decisions based on facts and I know some of the time there’s people that don’t like my decision. If anybody questions my decisions, I’m open to give an explanation,” he said. “Transparency is very important as is the way we treat taxpayers’ tax dollars.”

Balsamo said he is an advocate for all students and teachers and has seen the district’s fund balance grow while at the same time maintain the highest level of service such as giving employees raises.

“I think we have done a good job maintaining the fund balance and giving the employees raises. If you look back the raises are as good any district around as long as I have been on board,” he said. “That’s important. If you don’t pay your employees, you can’t retain the employees.”

Outside the school district Balsamo has been involved with the Port Arthur Police Association for the past 35 years and in the past served as president of the organization.

He is a member of the Port Neches, Port Arthur and Nederland Board of Realtors and has been a licensed Realtor for a little over 10 years.

He is a member of the Port Neches Knights of Columbus and a certified volunteer for the Texas Criminal System having volunteered at both the Mark Stiles Unit in Beaumont and the Allan B. Polunsky Unit in Livingston through the Kolbe Ministry.

Balsamo is also a volunteer with the Hospitality Center in Port Arthur, which is a part of Catholic Charities and has cooked meals for events at MHMR.

He is married to wife Leslie for 34 years and they have a son and daughter and two grandchildren.

Cropper is a registered nurse and regional vice-president of operations for National Cardiovascular Partners. He has held multiple chairs on governing boards within NCP and service organizations but has not held a public office.

Cropper considers keeping school children as the ultimate focus within PN-GISD as a primary objective.

“I vow to be engaged with students, parents and educators to ensure open communication between the board and the community I will serve,” Cropper said.

He believes that a school board member takes on one of the most important citizen responsibilities; overseeing the education of the community’s youth.

“Understanding the role of a school board member in keeping schoolchildren as the ultimate focus, it is imperative that a member be receptive and engaged with the students, parents, staff and entire community,” he said. “As a graduate of the class of 1995, married to a classmate and being the father of two boys who will graduate in 2025 and 2028, I am passionate about the excellence in education, the honor, pride and tradition which is the culture that embodies our community.”

Cropper believes his experience as registered nurse and business acumen as a vice president of operations of multiple ambulatory surgery centers and cardiovascular centers will enable him to provide servant leadership in preserving the culture which cohesively building a sustainable vision for future Indians.

Cropper notes overcrowding in the classroom as a main issue that needs to be addressed.

“I intend on working with the current board in unison to solve our overcrowding problem in our schools,” he said. “With help form local industry we can give our school children new state of the art learning facilities in which will enable our educators to better serve their students.

Cropper would also like to work with the superintendent and board of trustees to engage the community to become a District of Innovation allowing for the opportunity of local decision making on items such as but not limited to education certification, teacher contracts, first and last day of school, length of school day, class size and certain contract and purchasing requirements.

Cropper is married to wife Emmy and they have two children.

He is a member of the Groves Knights of Columbus 3491 and past healthcare chairman, taken part in the Catholic organization A.C.T.S. that stands for Adoration, Community, Theology and Service and is a core member of St. Peter the Apostle.

Cropper is also a past board member for Groves National Little League, current board member of Port Neches Little League and league coordinator, member of the American College of Cardiology, member of OEIS and a PN-GISD facilities committee member.

Early voting in the general election is ongoing through Nov. 4 for the Nov. 8 election.