Over the last 30 years, Rochester-area residents have watched Tim Mains go through a series of transformations: teacher, school counselor, City Councilmember, mayoral candidate, and principal.

Now he's a finalist in the city's search for a new schools superintendent.

He's the only local candidate, and he answered questions last night with the ease of someone comfortable on his home turf.

He didn't shy away from difficult subjects, and he repeatedly praised the quality of the district's staff. He agreed that the public has lost confidence in the school district. "There's a perception out there that we're just a bunch of bumbling idiots," he said, "and it's just not true."

He said his biggest advantage as a candidate for superintendent is his insight into the district's successes and its failures, something the other finalists will have to learn on the job.

Like Monday night's featured candidate, Jean-Claude Brizard, Mains said improving the district's graduation rates has to be the new superintendent's first priority.

He called mayoral control a red herring that focuses attention in the wrong direction. "The only places I've seen it work," he said, "and that for a short period of time, is when the mayor puts a significant amount of additional resources" into the schools.

Asked what he would do to increase the number of non-white teachers and principals, Mains gave some background. The majority of the district's professional workforce is in the early to mid-career phase, he said, and to hire many more people of color would require firing white employees.

He said he recognizes that many people want the district to hire more people of color so that the largely minority student body will see people who look like them in positions of responsibility. And he said he agrees that that's important. Also important, he said, is that hiring people of color increases the district's "cultural competency." When he looks for teachers for his school, he said, he looks for talent and creativity first.

Calling racism a "stain in the American fabric," he said the way to counter it is by allowing people of different cultures to share everyday experiences, such as school and work. "Slowly those wrong opinions begin to fade," he said.

And, he said, the Rochester school district, with its diverse student population, can help overcome racism. "We can't sell this district on our graduation rate," he said, "but we can sell this district on its diversity."

After serving two decades on City Council, Mains had his disagreements with other Councilmembers. Of the more contentious times, he said: "No leader can be successful without stepping on a few toes, and it can happen unintentionally. A common game in politics is, what can I do to hurt you publicly? But I always felt I had to be a model for my students."

Making the decision to run for mayor in 2005, he said, gave him the opportunity to have a mid-life reexamination, which included reassessing what it meant to be a leader.

During his service on City Council, Mains was known as an exceptionally bright Councilmember who worked hard - almost to a fault. As he did when he was on Council, he came across at last night's forum as authentic, extremely knowledgeable about education and the Rochester district, and passionate about the city and its children. He answered questions in a clear, direct, sharply focused way. And he clearly wants the job.

Mains has two masters degrees: one in counseling and the other in educational administration. He is working on his Ph.D. through Columbia University.

Tonight's featured candidate will be former Montgomery, Alabama, superintendent Carlinda Purcell. All of the forums are held at East High School, starting at 6 p.m.