May 20, 2009 2 min read

Six of the eight candidates for Uniontown Area School Board will compete in the November General Election race after two incumbent candidates were apparently defeated in Tuesday’s primary election race. With 100 percent of the votes counted, challenger Thomas “Bill” Gerke and incumbent William Rittenhouse Jr. topped the Democratic ticket, receiving 1,317 and 1,050 votes, respectively. Challengers Susan S. Clay and Terry L. Dawson received 1,037 and 952 votes, respectively, in the Democratic race, filling the last two spots on that ticket.

Gerke and Rittenhouse topped the Republican ticket, receiving 579 and 558 votes, respectively, in that race.

Challenger Tom McCracken and incumbent Lloyd A. Williams received 503 and 436 votes, respectively, in the Republican race, filling the last two spots on that ticket.

Incumbents Harry J. Kaufman and Dorothy Grahek appeared to have lost the nominations for both tickets, virtually eliminating them from the General Election race.

All candidates winning nominations have voiced support for the district’s current plans to renovate Lafayette, Ben Franklin schools and the high school.

Gerke, a Uniontown resident and former owner of the Uniontown business Gerke’s Exxon, said he agrees with renovating the three schools for the price of what the former high school project would have cost.

Rittenhouse, a Franklin Township resident entering his 12th year on the board, serves as co-chairman of the board’s finance/personnel and technology committees. He said current building plans are ones the taxpayers can afford.

Clay, a former 20-year board member, said she will support the board’s current projects if they address handicap accessibility and wiring for technology. She served as board president during a controversial plan to renovate and construct an addition onto the high school.

Dawson, a former educator, principal and speech therapist who now works in the state Department of Education’s special education division, also supports current building plans and said he hopes to receive feedback from the community regarding the projects.

Williams, who is entering his fourth year on the board, said his main objective is to move forward with the current building plans in a cost-effective manner. Williams has three children, one currently attending a district school. He chairs the current board’s policy/student activities committee.

McCracken, a Vanderbilt farmer and former teacher in the district, said he supports the district’s current building plans.