Robert Serfass and Ken Cocuzzo picked to return to Pleasant Valley School Board

In a strange twist of events, Pleasant Valley’s School Board went from having two current board members eyeing one two-year seat, to four people running for two two-year seats.

In Pennsylvania, judges and school board directors are permitted to cross-file for primary elections. That practice resulted in current Pleasant Valley School Board Directors Len Peeters and Dan Wunder being on the Democratic and Republican ballot for two of the four four-year terms up for election on Tuesday.

The other two four-year terms were filled by cross-filing newcomers Donna Yozwiak and Laura Jecker.

At the time of the primary, incumbents Linda Micklos and Robert Serfass were left in contention for the two-year opening left by the death of Charles Hoffman. Hoffman passed away shortly after winning re-election. Doug Wisser was appointed to fill Hoffman’s seat until the next general election.

Wisser ran for re-election, but lost in the primary.

In July, director Steve Borger resigned due to scheduling conflicts with his job, leaving another opening on the board. County purchasing agent Ken Cocuzzo was appointed to replace Borger.

Borger’s resignation took place within a prescribed time limit which allowed for a new candidate to be selected during the November general election and opened up two two-year positions on the board to be filled.

The same election law that set the time limit allowing for the position to be filled in the November election also set a time limit for the local Democratic and Republican committees to add an additional candidate to the ballot.

Cocuzzo and local resident Gerald McGuigan were added to the ballot.

On Tuesday Serfass had the highest number of votes at 2,427. Cocuzzo took second with 2,048 votes.

There is however a possibility that Cocuzzo will not take the second seat. Wisser ran a strong write-in campaign. The results of the write-in campaign will not be made available until Friday.