Elected BOE Member Hopes to Carry Out Kinnelon Vision

Brian Davin is excited to potentially have a hand in maintaining the Kinnelon school district's reputation as a leading school system in the state. But he is not fully celebrating his election to the Kinnelon Board of Education yet.

According to unofficial election results, Davin unseated incumbent Board Vice President Keith Dama by 92 votes. But because of voting extensions granted after Superstorm Sandy, absentee ballots have until Nov. 19 to come in. Davin said he was told about 345 absentee ballots are expected.

"There is still a little uncertainty," he said.

But what Davin is not uncertain about is his desire to serve on the board and make a difference in the community in which he has lived since 1997. Davin, who has four kids in the school district, three of whom are high schoolers and a sixth grader at Pearl R. Miller School, has a background in finance and marketing and was encouraged to run by friends and neighbors.

Community involvement is not something new to Davin, as he has served on the Smoke Rise Board of Governors, in addition to serving as a Cub Scout den leader and assistant Scoutmaster, alter server and Eucharistic minister at Our Lady of the Magnificat Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

"You can't make a difference unless you get involved," he said.

Davin, 50, has a bachelor's degree from Fairfield University in economics and more than 27 years of experience in consumer finance. He currently does consulting work.

If sworn in to the board, Davin said he would like to assist with the continuing Kinnelon Education Association negotiations. He would also like to help the district maintain its reputation, including the high school's recent achievement in being named a top-five school in the state.

"Collectively as a board, it is important that we strive to provide the strategic vision for our school district, encouraging all of our students to become life-long learners, critical thinkers, effective communicators, and wise decision-makers, while being prepared to succeed in an information age characterized by constant change," he said.

While this year's election was his first time campaigning, Davin said he was surprised by the support he received.

"I looked at it as kind of a grassroots process," he said. "It's word-of-mouth that helped me greatly."