Ryan Sawyers, his wife Jaimie, and children at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas.Ryan D. Sawyers has been elected as Prince William County's new School Board Chairman At-large.
The race was very close with three candidates, independent Tracy A. Conroy, Democrat-endorsed Sawyers, and Republican-endorsed Timothy M. Singstock, all competing for the chairman's seat.
Sawyers won with 37.26 percent of the vote. Singstock came in second with 34.71 percent of the vote. Conroy came in third with 27.47 percent.
Perhaps Conroy split much of the Republican vote with Singstock. Both campaigned on being fiscally conservative.
Sawyers advocated for better school funding. He said he would rather eliminate the revenue sharing agreement with the board of county supervisors and advocate for the school's real needs. Sawyers shared that view with Democratic candidate for board of county supervisors chairman, Rick Smith. Since Smith has lost, Sawyers will have to turn to Corey Stewart's board to request funding.
Sawyers is also unique in that he said he wanted better maternity leave for Prince William educators and he would look at changing site-based management of schools to provide another layers of oversight.
Sawyers also said he would move the school board meetings around the county to try to garner greater participation from parents and community members.
The Sawyers' campaign weathered a law suit Patriot High School Principal Dr. Michael Bishop alleged against Sawyers over an employee matter. The issue derived from a dispute between two local little league teams, the Gainesville Haymarket Baseball League headed by Bishop and the Bull Run Little League headed by Sawyers.
Sawyers runs a sports marketing company. He previously coached basketball at Purdue University. He is a father of two, and lives in Haymarket with his wife and children.
The Prince William County School Board will change in other ways. Longtime Potomac representative Betty Covington will be replaced by former civics teacher, Justin Wilk. Covington is also a former teacher and elementary school principal.
In the Coles District, Willie Deutsch is the new representative. Deutsch won 40 percent of the vote in a three-person race. He will take the seat now held by Dr. Michael Otaigbe who did not run for reelection.
Diane L. Raulston won the Neabsco District by 71.14 percent. She will take the place of Lisa Bell who did not seek reelection.
In Occoquan, Lillie Jessie held her seat in another three-person race.
Gil Trenum (Brentsville), Alyson Satterwhite (Gainesville) and Loree Williams (Woodbridge) ran unopposed.
The school board make up has changed so that there is now more Democrat than Republican members.
Here are the numbers.
Chairman
Tracy A. Conroy 27.47% (17,610)
Ryan D. Sawyers 37.26% (23,883)
Timothy M. Singstock 34.71% (22,253)
Write in: 0.56% (357)
Brentsville
Gilbert A. “Gil” Trenum, Jr. 98.32% (8,946)
Write in 1.68%(153)
Gainesville
Alyson A. Satterwhite 98.64% (8,974)
Write in 1.36% (124)
Coles
William J. “Willie” Deutsch 41.28 (4,706)
Reggie Henderson 24.12% (2,750)
William F. “Bill” Reeder 34.09% (3,887)
Write in 0.51% (58)
Neabsco
Joseph H. George 27.76% (1,941)
Diane L. Raulston 71.14% (4,974)
Write in 1.10% (77)
Occoquan
Karen L. Boyd 14.67% (1,545)
John S. Gray 39.21% (4,130)
Lillie G. Jessie 45.74% (4,817)
Write in 0.38% (40)
Potomac
Betty D. Covington 45.58% (4,156)
Justin D. Wilk 53.79% (4,905)
Write in 0.64% (58)
Woodbridge
Loree Y. Williams 94.64% (5,473)
Write In 5.36% (310)
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