Storey school trustee incumbent ousted by four votes

By a margin of only four votes, Lee Wilson ousted four-year incumbent Cyndy Waldow from the Storey County School Board.

"I'm surprised it's that close," said Wilson, 44. "I thought I'd have a bigger margin of votes."

With 775 votes, Wilson gained the victory over Waldow's 771 votes. However, 254 voters left it blank, about 14 percent of voters.

"That's pretty close," Waldow, 41, said. "We'll see what happens as far as the recount and all that goes."

Wilson said her top priority as a school board trustee will be to balance the budget.

"I'll work to get the budget in line and get a long-term plan in line so we don't find ourselves in another budget crunch like this," she said.

But she knows it may not be over yet.

"I'm sure with a four-point difference, there's going to be a recount," Wilson said. "I'd be surprised if it wasn't requested."

Cathylee James, 43, won the 1-A seat with a substantial lead.

With 956 votes, she defeated her opponent Ed Murkovich, 60, who received 680 votes.

"I'm very happy," James said. "I'm just eager to begin working really hard for the children of Storey County."

She said she wants to improve the school board's image in the community.

"I want to reestablish trust in the school board and give people more confidence to know that we'll be open to input," James said. "I want the public to know that the school board will have the best interest of the children in mind in every action that they take."

Murkovich gave James his vote of confidence.

"She'll be a good board member," he said.

James also hold Murkovich in high esteem.

"Ed Murkovich was a great candidate and I hope that he'll continue to be involved with the school board because he has a lot to offer," she said. "He's a very decent, good person."