Consider this help wanted ad:

“School board member. Must have expertise in education, local taxes, hiring, management, collective bargaining, problem-solving, collaborative deliberations, school security, construction matters, bidding processes, awarding of contracts. Must have skills to bring various stakeholders of the district together for the betterment of students’ education. Must be willing to meet at least once a month in official session, sometimes more often, and be available for committee meetings, school programs and functions. Must be of good moral character and serve as good ambassador for the district in the community. Other duties required on an as-needed basis. Must have superior qualifications. Must be able to accept frequent criticism and expect little thanks. Compensation: none.”

To an unknowing casual observer, this might seem like a joke. You are asking a person to have these qualities and knowledge, and, in the process, take verbal abuse from a fickle public, yet there is no compensation attached to the job?

Correct.

Despite this, each district in our five-county area is able to field nine people who serve two- or four-year terms. In early December, school boards reorganize, just as they have done recently. New board members who won election in November are seated while defeated or retiring board members say their farewells. Some long-serving members will get a plaque or some other expression of a district’s gratitude.

There are thousands of public officials in Pennsylvania, and the vast majority are faithful to their sworn duties.

What motivates a person to run for office, especially when the salary is low (or nonexistent as in the case of school boards), compared to the hours required on the job and the growing abuse officials take from disgruntled constituents and gadflies?

The two main reasons I have gotten from board members are: to help their community and to advocate for causes in which they believe passionately.

Of course, what is never said publicly is that there are some candidates who are motivated by a single issue. The Jim Thorpe board is seeing new faces — candidates who were unhappy with the lack of transparency on the use of a district-issued credit card which led to the resignation of the district’s business manager.

It’s even been known that a few candidates run to settle old scores with current board members. Some board members take on the role of public crusader and pit themselves against the rest of the board and the administration. Lehighton’s David F. Bradley Sr. comes to mind.

On occasion, some districts go begging for candidates. That was not the case during November’s general election. Just about every district in the Times News area had more candidates than available seats. In Tamaqua, there were 10 candidates for five seats, and in Lehighton, write-in candidates joined six ballot candidates for five seats.

Most board members agree that serving in this capacity is at once challenging and exciting. Regardless of all of the noise, some of it political in what is supposed to be a nonpartisan position, a board member’s ultimate goal should be to improve the quality of the school district and the students’ education.

In talking to about a dozen board members for this column, just about all of them said that an effective board member must be a good communicator and, above all, a good listener.

Board members need to walk a challenging tightrope among competing interests and be able to assess the correct course of action after quality fact-finding and deliberation.

Additionally, they said that a board member needs a thick skin and must understand that in some regards he or she is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even a trip to the supermarket does not provide immunity from a spirited conversation with a district resident over concern about high real estate taxes.

The late former Panther Valley School Board member R. “Mickey” Angst, one of the best-known local pot-stirrers, once told me, “Going against the grain while sitting on a school board is not for sissies.”

He should know. The rest of the board even barred him from joining them in executive sessions because he was not shy about releasing confidential information he thought the public needed to know.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com