SOUTH POINT – Two incumbents will return for their second terms on South Point Board of Education with one newcomer joining the ranks.

Wednesday, November 03, 1999

SOUTH POINT – Two incumbents will return for their second terms on South Point Board of Education with one newcomer joining the ranks.

In January, Terry Blake, Bernard Belville and Gary Morrison will count themselves among the board’s members.

Running for his second term, Blake carried the evening with 1,212 votes, allowing him to lay claim to 16.65 percent of the total votes tallied.

"It feels great," Blake said when the final votes were counted. "We’re going to continue trying to provide the best that we can for South Point."

The best includes working to return the levy for new schools to the ballot this spring, Belville said, who finished third with 1,018 votes.

"We really needed these new schools, and I think the board will vote to bring the levy back," Belville said.

Without the levy, the board will have to look for ways to make improvements in several areas, he added.

"We’ll have to really look at technology in the schools and consider a lot of upgrades that we weren’t planning on," Belville said. "But there are things that the new schools would have given the district that we’re not going to be able to do without."

After gaining 14.08 percent of the total vote – enough to put him in second place overall –  Morrison said he is ready to learn, work and concentrate on the students.

"First I’ve got to get up-to-speed with all the things that are involved with the board since this is my first term in office," said Morrison, who took home 1,025 of the total 7,280 votes cast in the South Point district. "I’m very excited about it, though. I’m glad to see the other two candidates back in office and I’m looking forward to working with the whole team."

Blake and Belville were the only incumbents running in this election. Morrison will fill the seat vacated by 20-year board member Gene McKee’s death earlier this year.

Other results in the board race were: Fred Clay, 973 votes; Alan Leighty, 703 votes; Michael Lynd, 878 votes; G.W. Rea, 333 votes; and Jim Scherer, 938 votes.