Five B-W School Board Candidates to Debate at Salvatore's on Wednesday

The  will welcome five of the nine candidates running for Baldwin-Whitehall School Board seats this November to a public debate at  in south Baldwin Borough this Wednesday night at 7:30.

The B-W PTA mailed invitations to all nine candidates, but only five have agreed to participate in , according to PTA member Fred Vella, who is leading the committee that has organized the event.

The five attendees will be Richard J. Kirsch, Lora J. Kalwarski, Marion M. Shannon and Tracy Macek of the and Larry Pantuso of the committee.

Each of the "Better Board" committee members still in the running for school board seats after has agreed to participate, but Pantuso is the only member of the "Lower Taxes and Better Education" committee that has agreed to debate.

Pantuso's remaining running mates after the primary elections—Kevin J. Fischer, Sam DiNardo Jr., Diana Kazour and Ray Rosing—will not participate.

The PTA is using organizational funds to run the debate, which will cost no fee to attend. In addition, complimentary refreshments will be served.

Each candidate is being mailed one question in advance of the debate. Members of Vella's debate committee, which also includes Debbie Clinton and Sandy Costantino, will collaboratively write those questions.

After each candidate answers that first question (three-minute speaking limit per candidate for that question), the debate will take an intermission for audience members to speak to candidates casually. Conversations during intermission time will not be broadcasted for the entire audience to hear.

Also during intermission time, audience members are encouraged to submit written questions to the PTA. After the intermission ends, the candidates will hear the written questions as read by a moderator from the League of Women Voters.

Salvatore's address is 5001 Curry Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.

The Baldwin-Whitehall Patch will be there.