Middleburgh Library Trustee Candidates Share Stances Before May 12th Vote

Trustee Candidate photos provided by the candidates and Middleburgh Library Director, Teresa Pavoldi.

MIDDLEBURGH- “Qualified voters of the Middleburgh School District will vote on two open trustee seats on Tuesday May 12th, 2026 from 12:00 - 8:00 in the Community Room of the Middleburgh Library.” On the Middleburgh Library website, you can view full candidate bios for Carolyn Foland, Sarah Hunt, Angelique Piwinski, and James Schilling. The candidates shared additional statements for voters with The Mountain Eagle.

Foland’s the current longest running Trustee; serving on the Board for twelve years and said, “I am currently a board member and on the Long Range Committee and would like to help finish developing and getting the survey out to the community to further understand what the community wants in our library. There are so many great things we offer, but maybe there are other options on what we could offer in the future.Some of my favorite offerings of the library are Dinner and a Movie once a month on a Friday night, the Summer Reading Carnival where the kids and their parents are treated to a carnival like atmosphere, and the Sunday Afternoon Concerts where you have live folk music at a fraction of the cost. Small communities like Middleburgh have real gems at their libraries and I am glad to volunteer to help keep the library functioning.”

Hunt’s also running to resume serving on the Board and said, “My passion really comes from both my professional background in public service and my appreciation for what the library represents in a small community like ours. I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the board already, and that experience has reinforced how important the library is—not just as a place for books, but as a hub for connection, learning, and access to resources. I wanted to continue being part of that and help ensure it remains strong and accessible for everyone. I currently balance a busy professional and family schedule, but serving on the Library Board has already been a priority for me and will continue to be. I understand the time commitment involved and have been able to manage it effectively. I hope to continue supporting the library’s growth while ensuring it remains responsive to the needs of the community. I bring strengths in leadership, organization, budgeting, and policy development through my professional experience, along with a practical approach. I also value collaboration and believe in working as part of a team to make thoughtful, informed decisions. The library does an excellent job of providing a welcoming and inclusive space for people of all ages. It offers not only access to books and information, but also programming and resources that bring the community together. That sense of accessibility and community connection is one of its greatest strengths.”

This is Piwinski’s first time running, “Having been a member of a number of boards, focused on history, art, culture, and science, all have aligned with my passion for education. It's not just sitting on a board, but it's making things happen, so that the organization moves forward, and hence the people it serves reap the expanded rewards. Boards must be diverse in their membership with each person contributing their own unique talents, perspectives and importantly connections. I love the library's statement, "We are a small library with great big ideas!" Ambitions are only fulfilled with the help of many people with knowledge and passion. Hence, I would like to start a "Friends Group" to benefit the library's programs and resources. Friends groups surround virtually every important library, museum and historic site and are composed of volunteers who make a big difference to the people resources and financial resources of these institutions. Friends Groups are 501(c) 3's, i.e. non profits, chartered by the state, usually in this case by the State Education Department, and have the ability to raise money to supplement the library's programs and resources and in addition dovetail with their own programming in coordination with the library, amplifying all that the library does. When I was the President of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Philipse Manor Hall, NYS historic site, for several terms, I created a fundraiser that tied past and present and was the most successful fundraiser ever for the museum, year after year for many years until the State of New York changed the museum's focus and I moved here.  In today's world, education is so critical to move our society forward. Thus, no book should ever be banned. It is always up to the reader to choose what they wish to read. Parents and guardians certainly should exercise their own judgment as to what their children read. And as an historian, I can tell you that virtually every book, even history books, contains the opinions or points of view of its author in one form or another. The bottom line is that I believe I can add a unique dimension to the board having held many corporate and municipal volunteer positions on a diverse array of boards and have a number of contacts throughout the region and the state who could potentially be brought to bear to make some of those "big ideas" a reality. I will try my best, if elected.”

Schilling was asked if he would consider this open position at a pot-luck dinner last fall, "There's an old  saying in the country that goes like this: ' ... If it's not broken, don't try to fix it!'   And although I hope to represent the Towns of Middleburgh, Fulton, and Broome that are in the school district, there are many things that are being done right under the leadership of Terry Pavoldi … Terry has a wide variety of activities for our young people that are exemplary and she does a story time for the youngsters every Tuesday.  She also enjoins teens to help out as well ... State of art computers, books  and DVD's , as well as a myriad of social programs. I'm looking forward to helping her as she builds and grows the wonderful Middleburgh Library"

The Middleburgh Library is located at 323 Main Street.Visit their website (www.middleburghlibrary.info) to read candidate bios, view the 2026 Budget (they’re not asking for an increase in the tax levy this year), and register for programs,. See you on Tuesday May 12th from 12:00 - 8:00 PM in the Middleburgh Library Community Room for voting day! Alternatively, absentee ballots became available on April 28th and need to be returned by Monday, May 11th by the end of day.