Candidates for the Board of Education
Board of Education Candidates
The Board of Education of the Red Hook Central School District received petitions from four individuals to run for the two vacant trustee seats. The Election will be held on May 19, 2026 from noon-9 p.m.
The following people will be running for election (in alphabetical order). Each was sent the same three questions to answer and given the same amount of time to answer them. These are their responses, unedited.
Paul Byrne
Why are you interested in serving on the Board of Education?
I am running for the Red Hook Board of Education because I believe strong public schools are the heart of a strong community. Red Hook shaped who I am; I grew up here, graduated from RHHS, and returned to raise my own children and care for my mother. Since moving back, I’ve dedicated myself to our community - coaching youth sports, serving as Vice President of the Red Hook Education Foundation, and speaking to high school seniors about my family’s experience with a drunk driving tragedy.
My goal is to ensure that every parent feels heard, every teacher feels supported, and every student feels seen. As Red Hook evolves, I want to serve as a bridge between our long-standing traditions and our collective future. I am running to give back to the community that gave me and my family so much, and to ensure our schools remain a source of pride for everyone in Red Hook.
What is your connection to the school district?
I grew up in Red Hook, attending our schools from kindergarten through my graduation from RHHS. Today, I am a Red Hook parent with a daughter in first grade, giving me a direct stake in the daily experience of our students and families. Beyond the classroom, I have served on the board of the Red Hook Education Foundation for the past two years - currently as Vice President - where I’ve worked in partnership with our administration to provide resources for our teachers and opportunities for all our students. My perspective is also shaped by my mother, a 40-year resident, which helps me understand the importance of our schools from the viewpoint of our senior community and taxpayers.
What do you consider to be the most important issue(s) in the school district?
The most pressing challenge facing Red Hook right now is navigating a period of significant change while maintaining community trust. Specifically, this involves two key areas:
► Strategic Fiscal Planning: We must balance our district’s infrastructure needs - such as the proposed bus garage renovations - with the reality of declining enrollment and the rising cost of living for our taxpayers. As a board member, I will advocate for long-term facilities planning that is data-driven and transparent, ensuring every dollar spent directly supports a better environment for our students without overextending our community.
► Strengthening Community Engagement: Our schools thrive when the community feels like a true partner in the decision-making process and when parents are proactively engaged. I hope to foster a culture of transparency and mutual respect, where the community’s diverse perspectives - from families who have been here for generations to our newest neighbors - are valued as a strength that leads to better, more sustainable outcomes.
Troy Haley
Why are you interested in serving on the Board of Education?
I want to serve because Red Hook schools shaped my family’s daily life, and I want to give back in a meaningful way. I care deeply about making sure every child here, including my own, gets a high‑quality, equitable education. I’ll bring a practical, listening approach, gathering input from families and staff, using data to guide decisions, and focusing on student achievement, social‑emotional wellbeing, and safe, inclusive schools.
What is your connection to the school district?
I’m a Red Hook resident and parent. My daughter, now a ninth grader, has attended our schools her entire academic life, so I’ve seen the district firsthand, in classrooms, at school events, and through the everyday challenges families face. I’ve volunteered and stayed active in school and community activities, giving me direct insight into what’s working and where we can improve.
What do you consider to be the most important issue(s) in the school district?
► Student achievement and equity: making sure every child has the support to succeed academically and socially.
► Fiscal responsibility and transparency: protecting strong programs while managing taxpayer dollars wisely.
► Mental health and safety: expanding supports so students feel safe and ready to learn.
► Staffing and retention: attracting and keeping great teachers with fair pay and strong professional support.
► Community engagement: improving communication and ensuring families are true partners in decisions.
Dave Mergendahl
Why are you interested in serving on the Board of Education?
I would like to be on the board because I can offer a very different view on most of the aspect on how things work in a school. I can relate to how projects work with in a school from experience of going thru 2 major projects, 1 in 1989-1990 and the other in 1997-1998. I sat in meetings on those projects on how there were to go and how they were to finish. I have been in negotiations with the district when a member of the support staff so again very familiar with that part. I want to be a part of a team that wants to work with the everyone from the school personnel to the public and makes himself available to those same people.
What is your connection to the school district?
I worked for Red Hook School District for 32 years in which I worked in almost every job available not from being moved to but to take advantage of moving into different jobs. Some of those jobs includer custodial worker, custodian, bus driver, courier, and what I personally loved was working on the grounds which included taking care of the athletic fields. I also coached many, many different sports from modified to varsity teams . One of those teams i was assistant coach of the varsity basketball team which went to the finals of the state championship in 1998. I also had 2 stepsons and 2 sons graduate from RHCSD and now have 5 grandchildren enrolled from grades 2 thru 11.
What do you consider to be the most important issue(s) in the school district?
I think a few of the issues are taxes and how we can reduce them without getting rid of any programs. electric buses seem to be of a concern with the public. existing projects and a now another possible which is also a talking point.
Robert Tynes
Why are you interested in serving on the Board of Education?
RHCSD created a terrific learning environment for my two sons. As an educator and experienced administrator, I want to make sure that students, all students, will keep getting the resources they need—excellent teaching, books, special education support, school lunches, and extracurricular activities such as sports and theater. I have skills in teaching, budget analysis, partnership building, and collaboration that would be useful on the board.
What is your connection to the school district?
I have lived in Red Hook for 22 years with my wife and my two sons. Both boys were students at Mill Road, Linden Avenue, and Red Hook High School. I appreciate the education that the Red Hook schools provided my sons, in classes such as chemistry, math, English, history, and film, as well as on the sports field. The Red Hook Central School District contributed to the success of my children in higher education and beyond.
What do you consider to be the most important issue(s) in the school district?
I see a need for greater translation around budget issues. There has been increased transparency, but I hear that voters still don’t know what the budget items mean. That’s more than “this is what you get for your money.” Voters need to know about how schools build a strong Red Hook community, beyond the classroom. Also, there should be a stronger focus on ensuring that all students are provided the resources they need in order to all gain the most from education. That means guaranteeing that children from low-income families can take advantage of what happens in the classroom without the distraction of being hungry in the morning and at lunch. That means students who need help navigating mental health anxieties and crises are never without a safe, quiet space, such as an Effective School Solutions (ESS) classroom, or unable to meet with a school counselor or child psychologist. That means reinforcing the ethic that human rights are for everyone, regardless of nationality, race, gender, LGBTQ+ status, ethnicity, disability and age. I see these simple values being chipped away and it is the Board of Education’s duty to take a more active, leadership role in reinforcing these values.