Haney, Vernetti win Bentonville seats
Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/65799/
BENTONVILLE — An incumbent and a newcomer won their respective seats on the Bentonville School Board in Tuesday’s annual school elections.
Beth Haney won a third term in her Position 3 seat with 562 votes — or 57. 52 percent. That race had three competitors: Jonathan Smith got 213 votes, or 21. 8 percent, and James Dockery got 202 votes, or 20. 68 percent.
Bryan Vernetti won the Position 6 seat with 690 votes against incumbent Miguel Rivera’s 269 votes. Vernetti had 71. 95 percent of the votes, and Rivera received 28. 05 percent.
Rivera was appointed to the position this summer after Doylene Fuqua resigned. He was required by law to run for election if he wanted to maintain the seat. Vernetti will now finish the remainder of the two-year term.
Both winning candidates were pleased with the results and thanked voters and their families for their support.
“ I have a big sense of responsibility of doing what’s best for our school district, ” Vernetti said. “ Now I have to live up to the community’s expectations. ”
After echoing her appreciation, Haney said the board has goals set before it that she will continue to be a part of obtaining. One includes revisiting the millage issue, which will be discussed in October during the board’s quarterly work session.
There were two other races in the county, one for Northwest Arkansas Community College and the other in the Pea Ridge School District. According to results from the Election Commission, the total voter turnout was 1, 513 ballots cast — or 2. 21 percent.