Information from The Observer Dispatch

Six people ran for three school board seats in the Ilion Central School District in Tuesday's election. The two highest vote getters will serve five-year terms. The person who receives the third-most votes will serve a two-year term. The district's proposed budget is $21,987,654 with a tax-levy increase of 3.79 percent. The voting took place from noon to 8 p.m. in the Junior-Senior High School cafeteria.

The Budget passed 428 [yes] - 155 [no] and Board Seat Winners were: Deanna Stubley (365), Steve Coupe (341) - Incumbent, and Vince Durant (329)- Incumbent. Runners-up were James Vitale (281), Cynthia Bennett(181) and Don Laible (170).

Candidiates were:

• Cynthia Bennett - Challenger - Age: 44 - Occupation: Account consultant. - Family: Single mother with three children. - Experience: Has worked in negotiating, purchasing and labor relations with Chicago Pneumatic; had fiscal responsibilities with the Savings Bank of Utica; and been involved with health insurance negotiations.


• Steve Coupe - Incumbent - Age: 40. - Occupation: General manager of Harley Davidson of Utica. - Family: Married with two children. - Experience: Ilion School Board member since 1997; Herkimer BOCES audit committee member; involvement with Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES and the MVCC Foundation; former Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors member.


• Vince Durant - Incumbent - Age: 68 - Occupation: Dur-a-form owner; semi-retired. - Family: Married with five children. - Experience: Current school board vice president; school board liaison to district technology committee and Ilion Central School Foundation; involved with EXCEL building project.


• Don Laible - Challenger - Age: 48. Occupation: Customer service at Bassett Healthcare in Herkimer. Family: Married with two children. - Experience: Has worked in media, health care, entertainment; ran for village trustee and county legislator.
  


• Deanna Stubley - Challenger Age: 43 Occupation: Bank manager of Adirondack Bank in Ilion Family: Married with two children Experience: A homeroom parent and classroom volunteer for 10 years; reading tutor for America Reads program; involvement with Valley United Way and previously with Ilion water and utility boards.


• James Vitale - Challenger - Age: 37 - Occupation: Mohawk Valley Community College professor - Family: Married, four children - Experience: Said experience as a college professor has given him insight into what students need to be successful at a college level; member of a parent committee that has worked with high-school officials on planning security measures through EXCEL funding.