Kerry Myers lags in Easton School Board primary

One of six candidates running for three contested Easton Area School Board seats was on the brink of elimination with most of the precincts in at presstime Tuesday.Primary voters had choices in two of the district’s three regions. In region I, which includes Palmer Township and part of the city, voters could pick two out of four candidates. In region III, which includes Lower Mount Bethel Township, Forks Township and parts of the city, they could pick one of two candidates.Residents of the district’s second region in Riegelsville and parts of the city didn’t have a choice: only former school board member Michelle Price was on the Democratic ballot.With five out of seven precincts from region I reporting as of 10:30 p.m., candidate and former school board member Kerry Myers was the only one behind on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. Incumbent Jodi Hess was ahead among Democrats, with 29.4% of the vote, while newcomer Bill Whitman was right behind her with 27.7% of the vote.Whitman, a retired Easton Area High School principal, was leading among Republicans with 31.1% of the vote. Incumbent Robert Fehnel was the second top vote-getter among Republicans, with 28.8% of the vote. Myers had the fewest votes on both ballots.The district’s region III voters will have a choice in the general election. With all precincts reporting, Edward Keegan, a former superintendent in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, won the Democratic vote with 51.1%. His opponent, Thomas Fleming, won the Republican vote with 54% support.The Easton Area School board is poised to pick a new superintendent to replace John Reinhart, who is leaving the post this summer.The newly elected members will be joining a school board that was largely new in 2018. They’re in the process of building a new Cottingham Stadium in the West Ward and a new Palmer Elementary, though progress on the elementary school has stalled.The district is also investigating allegations of wrongdoing at the Easton Arts Academy, a charter school that opened in the city in 2017. Depending on the results of the investigation, the board could be in a position to take action.Morning Call reporter Michelle Merlin can be reached at 610-820-6533 or at mmerlin@mcall.com.
Source: Morningcall