Meet the Candidates is a new forum designed to shine a spotlight on the people who are running for local government seats in the upcoming Nov. 3 election. We will ask each candidate the same set of questions, and provide an overview of their responses. We hope that by focusing on each contested seat, we can showcase each candidate, providing information that may be helpful when making your selection at the voting booth. The second set of candidates are running for Eureka County School Board Trustee Seat 2B.
I sat down with Dillon Pollock to ask some questions about running for his second term on the Eureka County School Board. Dillon currently holds the board 2A seat. His move from Eureka town site to Diamond Valley places him in seat 2B.
Tell me a little about yourself?
I'm Dillon Pollock. I'm a father of four, a farmer, a rancher and I work in the gold mining industry. I cherish the small-town life and rural values.
What brought you to Eureka and when did you move here?
I married Deanna and her family lives here. We moved here in 2021.
Why do you want to join the school board? Let me clarify. You are currently trustee for seat 2A, but you are now running for seat 2B?
Yes. I'm running for Halle's seat. She's not running again. I have four small kids coming up, and they're going to be in the school system within the next four years. I would like to have a voice in the decisions made by the district.
What experiences or skills have prepared you to serve as a board member? You’ve already served 4 years, how was that experience?
Great. It was a learning curve at first. Now I'm a more experienced board member that can learn from past faults and carry forward innovative ideas.
What are the top three issues facing the Eureka County School Board and education?
Well, there's a declining enrollment and declining revenue across the country. We need to adjust to that and be proactive. Technology would be another one. With the rise of AI and other technologies, we need to stay on top of that, too. We need to keep our kids safe, while also keeping them up to speed with the latest technologies. The third would be keeping our rural way of life, with common sense values as part of our kids’ education.
Can you explain what the school funding formula is and how the district receives its money?
Well, now it's through the state, paid out on a per pupil expenditure. It’s like the federal system where they pay you per kid, which is a change from using our net proceeds as in years passed.
Is there anything you would like to add that wasn't covered in these questions?
I just want people to know that when I'm on the board, I take it as an act of community service. I do it because I have four kids that are going to be coming through the school system. I have skin in the game, and I know that I can have an impact on the district. I can steer the district in ways that reflect my values; one small town, old fashioned family values.
