May 20, 2015 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – The race for nominations for school director in Carmichaels Area School District, the only county district that featured a contested race, resulted in the ouster of incumbent director Melodie Berardi and the nominations of two newcomers to the board, though not newcomers to the district.

Berardi, who has served on the board for 12 years, cross-filed but failed to receive either nomination. Other incumbents who ran, Thomas Ricco, Ken Ganocy and Ronald Ferek, won nominations on both ballots.

Two newcomers, Cheryl Severini Voytek and Lewis May, also won nominations on both ballots. Voytek was an elementary teacher in the district and retired in 2007. May is the district’s former maintenance superintendent. He retired in June 2013 after 27 years with the district.

Neither Berardi nor May could be reached for comment. Voytek said she decided to run because she wants to see good programs for the district’s students. “I’ve been in education for many years, and I want to stay in education,” she said.

Another candidate, Sheldon Reynolds, ran unsuccessfully on the Democratic ballot only.

The following is the unofficial results from Tuesday’s election for Carmichaels Area as well as the other county school districts. The winners are marked with a •

The results do not include write-in votes, which will be tallied by the county elections office as it completes the election canvass. A number of write-in votes were cast, especially in the Central Greene School District in sub-district for which there were no ballot candidates.

Carmichaels Area (5 directors nominated for 4-year terms)

Democrat

Sheldon Reynolds 424

•Kenneth A. Ganocy 537

•Thomas M. Ricco 479

Melodie J. Berardi 410

•Cheryl Severini Voytek 607

•Ronald T. Ferek 496

•Lewis G. May 480

Republican

•Cheryl Severini Voytek 163

Melodie J. Berardi 132

•Kenneth A. Ganocy 177

•Ronald T. Ferek 164

•Lewis G. May 162

•Thomas M. Ricco 153

Central Greene

Perry, Wayne and Whiteley townships (2 directors nominated for 4-year terms)

Democrat

•Sharon Bennett 385

Republican

•Sharon Bennett 161

Franklin and Washington townships (2 directors for 4-year terms)

No candidates

Waynesburg Borough (1 director for a 4-year term)

No candidate

Jefferson-Morgan (5 directors will be nominated for 4-year terms)

Democrat

•John W. Shaffer III 544

•Dan Wagner 681

•Donna L. Brown 570

•Lisa Mattish 573

•Brittany Anderson Morrison 510

Republican

•Dan Wagner 203

•Donna L. Brown 131

•Lisa Mattish 137

•Brittany Anderson Morrison 113

•John W. Shaffer III 154

Southeastern Greene (5 candidates nominated for 4-year terms)

Democrat

•Joe Spiker 397

•J.R. Antill 344

•Ginny Eberhart 342

Republican

•Ginny Eberhart 111

•J.R. Antill 120

•Joe Spiker 107

West Greene

Aleppo, Freeport, Gilmore and Springhill townships (2 candidates will be nominated for 4-year terms)

No candidates

Center and Morris townships (1 candidate for a 4-year term)

Democrat

•Timothy Mankey 258

Republican

•Timothy Mankey 163

Gray, Richhill and Jackson townships (2 candidates for 4-year terms)

Democrat

•Clarence Cassiday Jr. 100

•Mike Pikula 129

Republican

•Mike Pikula 87

•Clarence Cassiday Jr. 80