I was glad to learn that Barb Waldman is running for a seat on the Irmo Town Council. She’s just the kind of person who will benefit the work of the Council. I’ve known Barb for over ten years and I know her to be dependable, honest, thoughtful about what is best for the Irmo community, fiscally conservative, and a person who is an effective fact-finder when decisions have to be made.
Barb takes her civic responsibilities seriously, especially regarding the impact our schools have on our community. She is currently and has been a member of the School District 5 Parent’s Cabinet for the past 13 years. She served for 8 years on the Irmo High School Improvement Council. She is a member of the District Five Education Foundation and has been since 2017, serving on their Allocations committee. She received the award as Outstanding Volunteer of the Year for our school district in 2015. She also served on the School Improvement Councils for Harbison West, CrossRoads and Irmo Middle Schools. She has also been active in these schools’ Parent Teacher Organizations. She has dedicated her professional career to teaching and research at the University of South Carolina for the past 27 years. Barb Waldman earned a Ph.D. at John Hopkins University.
Schools are a major reason that families move to the Irmo area. Those families who come for the schools contribute to stable, safe, invested neighborhoods. They are responsible taxpayers who value what the history of this community stands for. There are no other council members with these close ties to our schools and the personal dedication to quality education that Barb Waldman has lived. Her membership on the Council would bring an important, much-needed voice, perspective and knowledge base as decisions are made that affect Irmo’s future.
Barb supports the new mayor’s goal for increasing community input into decisions made by the new council. She thinks critically and analytically about the problems faced by the town of Irmo, gathers the facts, solicits input from those who would be affected and makes her decisions. Her careful decision-making style would also bring benefits to the town council.
Growth will continue and changes will continue in the Irmo area, as it does in every suburb. How those challenges are handled will impact all of us for years to come. Barb Waldman’s influence will add positive value as Irmo provides a great quality of life for all of its residents in the years ahead.
Mary Kennerly
Coldstream
