By Matthew Hill
FAYETTEVILLE, WV — A former Fayette County Board of Education member pulled ahead of his two opponents Wednesday morning in the race to fill an open Valley District seat on the board.
Leon Newman, 55, of Deep Water, outpaced his nearest rival — political newcomer Pat Payne — by 138 votes after all 39 precincts were tallied. Former Fayette County teacher’s aide Lou Jones of Gauley Bridge finished in third place with 2,373 votes.
The contest had been a nail-biter for several hours Tuesday night, with Newman and Payne jockeying back and forth for the lead.
“I thank all those in Fayette County who took time out to support me,” Newman said.
“My agenda is no different from what it has been from the first time I ran. I want to do what’s best for our children, with curricula and facilities, and work to try to make it a better opportunity for our children. I do look forward to the challenge of serving on the board. I’ve been there before, and there are a lot of tough, difficult decisions to be made.”
Newman described his reaction to the election results as a combination of mild surprise and abundant pleasure. “I’m not saying I was totally surprised, but I was well pleased by the support I got throughout the county,” he added.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to being a part of it. This is a diverse, global, challenging world. We have to do all we can to see our kids get the best opportunities to equip them for the future, and that’s through education.”
Newman was elected to the board in 1998 but was not allowed to finish out his term. He retired from a 32-year career with Dow Chemical Co. a few years ago.
In early 2002, he and Lawrence Boley were ordered by Circuit Judge John Hatcher to vacate their board posts because they had also been members of boards of local public service districts when they served the school system, a situation the judge deemed to be in direct conflict.
Unless a special session is called earlier, Newman said he expects to be sworn in by the board at its next business meeting on Nov. 20.
When contacted by phone, Jones declined to respond other than to wish everyone well. Payne could not be reached for comment.
The three were vying to replace Janie White, who was appointed after Patricia Spangler resigned last summer. Tuesday’s winner will fill the unexpired term until June 2008.
— E-mail: mhill@register-herald.com
