Houston seeks school board post in May 19 vote

C.D. Houston

Cladius "C.D." Houston has announced his candidacy for the Zone 4 Trustee position on the Mountain Home School Board.

Houston is being challenged by William Murry for the position currently held by Jo Gridley, who has decided not to seek re-election.

In Zone 2, the other board position up for election, incumbent Luise House is not facing a challenge at present (the deadline to file was 5 p.m. Tuesday, after press time).

The school board elections will be held May 19. The only polling site will be the school district office at 470 N. 3rd East St. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Only voters in the zones up for election are eligible to vote. If you are unsure of your zone, contact the district office at 587-2580. Absentee ballots are available beginning today at the district office.

In announcing his candidacy, Houston said that "Mrs. Gridley has done an excellent job, and the board will definitely miss her leadership. She will be a hard act to follow, but the show must go on.

"I plan to bring new ideas and an innovative approach to problem solving to our school board.

"I believe the future of our great nation is vested in our youth, and I passionately feel that every child is entitled to and deserves a quality education.

"If elected," he said, "I will do everything that I can to achieve that goal. We must work very hard to elevate education to a higher priority at the local, state and national levels of our government. This will definitely be costly, but we need to keep quality teachers in our schools.

"In order to accomplish this we have to increase their pay yearly by the cost of living index at a minimum. There must be added incentives to attract and sustain outstanding educators."

He went on to say, "We need to upgrade some of our facilities to ensure adequate space and equipment for all of our children.

"Our country has invested in the mortgage companies, banks and the automobile manufactures, but what about our most precious resource. We must invest in our young people now! Try and look at it as a down payment on our future.

"These are some of the things that I would like to see. If you have questions, concerns or want to get involved, please do not hesitate to give me a call at (208) 599-1618 or drop me a line by e-mail at: (cdbjmd@windjammercable.n)t."

Houston, 55, was born in Jackson, Miss. He was his high school's senior class president.

He joined the United States Air Force in 1974, and eventually was stationed in 1993 at Mountain Home AFB where he served as the superintendent of the 366th Medical Support Squadron and Medical Logistics Flight for six years. He also oversaw the Medical Group's $7.5 million operating budget.

He volunteers as a member of the city's Citizens on Patrol program and at the Idaho Youth Ranch. He is a moderator of the First Congregational Church Council, according to his official biography, is a lifetime member of the DAV, and serves on the executive committee for the tri-state chapter of the NAACP.

He has an associate's degree in applied science and a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University in education and business.

He and his wife, Becky, have one son, Matthew, 15, who attends Mountain Home High School.