By Amy Wallace
Niagara Gazette
May 11, 2009 01:05 am
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The two incumbents whose seats are up for election on the Lewiston-Porter Board of Education are seeking reelection in the much publicized and often controversial race.
Board members Ed Lilly and Scott Stepien are running to retain their seats against challengers Wendy Swearingen and April Fideli for the two three-year seats.
Lilly, a businessman with 12 years experience on the Lew-Port board, has been making headlines in his bid to place a board consolidation referendum on the May 19 ballot. The referendum would ask residents to vote to reduce the size of the board from seven members to five beginning in 2010.
This is not the first time Lilly has brought this referendum to the board. The public has voted it down in previous elections but this time there were questions about the timeliness and manner in which he brought up the referendum.
“During my 12 years on the Lew-Port board, and my six years on the BOCES board, I have always voted to continue every student program,” Lilly said. “However, I do not vote to give away more of your money to over paid bureaucrat's. I always use proper judgment, in order to protect citizens and their resources.”
Lilly champions himself as protecting taxpayers and holding down spending.
“Lewiston-Porter should stand as a cornerstone for our community,” Lilly said. “Unfortunately, many board members were making decisions that were costly to taxpayers, and of no benefit to students. I became a board member because I make wise decisions that will protect property owners, and will improve education.”
Lilly said he is proud of his service on the board.
“The most challenging aspect of board service is making sure citizens are aware of which elected officials are ripping off the public,” Lilly said. “The most rewarding aspect of serving the public, is knowing that I have always made proper decisions that have protected the assets, and the rights of all citizens. I am proud to say that at long last, my initiative to fix the leaking roofs has been recently approved by the board.”
Stepien, a three-year member of the board, is an attorney who was born and raised in the Youngstown/Lewiston area.
He is a 1987 graduate of Lewiston-Porter High School.
“I am the third member of the Class of ’87 to serve on the board,” Stepien said. “I wanted to contribute to the community and that’s why I decided to run for the school board. It’s been very satisfying observing the process.”
Stepien said he chose to run again because he feels the board still has some work to do for the district.
“My Lew-Port education prepared me well for higher studies,” Stepien said, who graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh and Creighton University Law School.
As for the contentious debates among school board members, Stepien feels it is not the case.
“There is no infighting on the board,” Stepien said. “I think this is perception versus reality. We have to have our discussions in public by law.”
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