6-2 Vote Puts McIntyre in Pottsgrove Vacancy

Photo by Evan Brandt

Pottsgrove School Board Vice President Robert Lindgren, right, enjoys himself swearing in the board's newest member, Tina McIntyre, center, while her son Mason, holds The Bible for her. 

Usually, a child follows in his or her parent's footsteps, but sometimes it's the other way around.

Last night was witness to one of those rare occasions when, from among of five very qualified candidates, the Pottsgrove School Board voted to appoint Tina McIntyre to fill the vacancy left by last month's resignation of Matt Alexander.

McIntyre, in addition to being a St. Pius X High School graduate and an accountant, is also the mother of Mason MacIntyre, who for two years served on the Pottsgrove board as a student member.

"She's going to have to learn to eat dinner earlier," he acknowledged with a laugh Tuesday after the board vote.

McIntyre's relationship to a former member was more than coincidence. It may have provided the tipping point to her appointment.

Allow me to explain.

In addition to McIntyre, four other candidates applied for the post. They were Rick Rabinowitz; Jody McMahon; Andrew Korman and Mark Jorgensen.

McIntyre, who lives on Mock Road, is an accounting specialist with United Phosphorus Inc. in King of Prussia.

She is a 1990 graduate of the former St. Pius X Catholic High School in Lower Pottsgrove and received a bachelor’s in business administration from Kutztown University.

Rabinowitz, who lives on Lee Drive, was a board member who ran unsuccessfully for reelection in November.

He is an executive recruiter for Nationwide IT and worked for two other recruiting forms previously.

Rabinowitz holds a degree in political science from State University of New York at Oswego and an MBA in technology and e-commerce from West Chester University.

McMahon, who lives in Anthony Wayne Drive, is a language arts teacher at Owen J. Roberts High School and an adjunct professor at Delaware Valley Community College.

No education or prior work experience was listed for McMahon.

Korman, who lives in Gilbertsville Road, is a project manager with Suburban Water Technology.

He holds a bachelor’s in journalism, specializing in broadcast news, from West Virginia University.

Jorgensen, who lives in Yeager Road, is director of quality and food safety at AIRGA USA LLC in Radnor.

He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and holds an MBA from Lehigh University.

Nearly every board member marveled at the qualifications of those who applied for the board and were interviewed during a public meeting Monday night.

In making a choice Tuesday, Board Vice President Robert Lindgren said he wanted to be as transparent as possible about the process. 

"People who have observed this in the past may well have gotten the impression that the choice had been made before the vote," Lindgren said.

So board members all voiced their preference in a round of quasi-voting. Korman and McMahon were eliminated in the first round.

Rabinowitz was eliminated in the second round.

With the board left to choose between Jorgensen and McIntyre, the benefits of each choice were made clear.

But it was not until board member Jim Lapic talked about being the parent of four children, and the role parents play in how their children turn out, that things seemed to tip in McIntyre's favor.

He observed that in addition to having lived in the community all her life, the board had two years to learn what kind of child she had raised. 

"Mason was an excellent board member and she obviously had something to do with that," said Lapic.

After that, board member Charles Nippert moved for another vote and McIntyre was elected with a 6-2 vote. Board members Bill Parker and Patricia Grimm cast the two no votes.

Afterward Lindgren said the matter of electing a new school board president would be decided at the next meeting. He said the board decided it would be best to choose a board president with a full nine members on board and having a say.

(Sounds like something a future school board president would say ....)

And here are the Tweets you've all been waiting for:


McIntyre Chosen from Among 5 for Pottsgrove School Board Vacancy