Incumbent school trustee Laura Dixon topped the polls for Delta's Board of Education Saturday night.
Dixon said she was somewhat surprised with the results and admitted her anxiety levels heading into the last few days of the campaign were rising. Last time around in 2008 Dixon and her fellow candidates didn't have to suffer any nerves leading up to election night since they were acclaimed.
But after the final one of Delta 31 polling stations reported its results and displayed them on a screen inside Delta council chambers, Dixon said she looked forward to being part of the seven-member Delta Board of Education that has a number of new faces.
Following Dixon (9,602 votes) was fellow incumbent Fabian Millat (9,088 votes), who fell short of scoring a “double” with his bid for Delta council.
Making up the remaining group of elected trustees were:
Dale Saip (8,801); Val Windsor (8,485); Nick Kanakos (8,136); Simon Truelove (7,993); and Donna Burke (7,087).
Incumbents failing to get re-elected were Janet Shauntz and Brenda Bennet-Schneider.
Longtime trustee Gord Masi did not run for re-election.
The three new faces include retired teacher Kanakos, Burke and former Delta Teachers’ Association president Windsor.
“Well, I am extremely gratified,” Dixon said. “Going out to meet the voters and hearing the concern and support for public education, that was so gratifying. People are so dedicated to the school district.”
Dixon added the last group of trustees she served with was a tremendous team, but she looked forward to being part of a whole new group.
“I am looking forward to the next term,” she said. “We have an outstanding team coming on board and I think they will do a great job for public education in Delta.”
Kanakos, one of the new faces on the board, said he felt it was an honour to be given the opportunity to serve the public.
Wife Jeannie Kanakos, a former Delta councillor (2005 to 2008), also succeeded in her bid for Delta council, making them the first husband-and-wife team in Delta to serve on the two elected groups.
Delta trustee candidates:
Laura Dixon 9,602
Fabian MilatT 9,088
Dale Saip 8,801
Val Windsor 8,485
Nick Kanakos 8,136
Simon Truelove 7,993
Donna Burke 7,087
Janet Shauntz 5,940
Brenda Bennett-Schneider 5,544
Carol Johnson 5,458
Carroll Allan 4,843
Andy Basi 4,544
Julie Sanders 4,295
Sue Lloyd 3,919
Malcolm Smillie 3,809
Pat Dyer 3,542
Brad Sherwin 3,091
Carleen Bazowsky 2,663
Andrew Maas 2,335
Michael Patrick Macumber 2,093