Incumbents roll to easy victories in three races

By Emily Richmond

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004 | 9:37 a.m.

Clark County School Board incumbents Shirley Barber, Denise Brodsky and Ruth Johnson advanced Tuesday to November's general ballot, each winning their races by comfortable margins.

Four challengers -- one in each race -- teamed as the Operation Education slate, promising to revamp the School Board's management style and replace Superintendent Carlos Garcia. Only two of the slate's candidates, Isaac Farrell and Ryan Devins, will advance to the November ballot.

Devins finished second to incumbent Denise Brodsky for the District E seat. Farrell was the only challenger to incumbent Mary Beth Scow in the District A race, which automatically sent them both to the general election.

Even though the entire slate did not advance, Devins said his top priority -- replacing the "policy governance" system that calls for the superintendent to be the only district employee who reports directly to the board -- has not changed.

"I was prepared to go into it (the general election) as a group of four, not a group of two," Devins said, referring to himself and Farrell in the District A race. "We're going to take a look at the situation this week, reorganize a little and keep moving."

Brodsky won with 59 percent of the vote, a comfortable margin over Devins, who had 19 percent.

Devins said he expected to pick up endorsements from the other two District E candidates -- retired substitute teacher Frank Albano, who was third with 16.8 percent, and fourth-place finisher Les Pierres Streater, who had 4 percent.

"Tomorrow the real race begins," Devins said. "I think the real numbers are closer than they're going to show tonight."

Brodsky, 45, said she was gratified to have received nearly 60 percent of the vote in her bid for a second term. The mother of three Clark County students, Brodsky has successfully spearheaded new limits on junk food sales to students and a ban of tobacco use by employees or visitors on all district property.

"My focus is going to be more of the same," Brodsky said Tuesday of her plans leading up to the general election. "Sticking to the issues, working at the grass-roots level, keeping the discussion on what our students and teachers need."

District B

Incumbent Ruth Johnson will face a re-match with casino general manager Troy Bulloch, 33. A native of Southern Nevada with two children in Clark County schools, Bulloch ran unsuccessfully against Johnson four years ago.

Johnson won with 44.6 percent of the vote, while Bulloch was second with 25 percent.

Johnson, 44, who has four daughters attending Clark County schools, was first elected in 1996. She lists keeping the district's building program on time and on budget as a priority, along with improving accountability and student achievement.

Johnson said she wants the district to create a "parents' university," to better provide families with the support and resources they need to help their own children succeed in school.

Bulloch said he believes the district is too large to operate effectively and should be divided geographically. Doing so would improve response time to parents and make it easier for the community to feel involved in their local schools, Bulloch said.

Lester Lewis, a member of the Operation Education slate, finished third with 15.8 percent of the vote. Lewis, 35, has urged the School Board to build a comprehensive high school for the predominantly black West Las Vegas community. He has been critical of the district's management style and believes Garcia has been given too much leeway.

First-time candidate Marian Umhoefer, 65 and a freelance photographer, was fourth with 14 percent.

District C

Incumbent Shirley Barber fended off five challengers, finishing comfortably ahead of attorney Richard Segerblom.

Barber took 41 percent to 22 percent for Segerblom, 56.

Barber, 69, said if she is returned to office for a third term her priorities will be ensuring funding equity between schools and raising teacher pay. She is a retired principal who was inducted into the district's Hall of Fame.

Barber said she has done less campaigning than in prior elections because she has been caring for her daughter, who is recovering from back surgery. Moving toward the general election, Barber said she intends to pick up the pace.

"We'll be working hard, doing a lot of walking and going out to the neighborhoods to meet people," Barber said. "The last two Saturdays I spent walking around and I ran into quite a few of my former students, which is always wonderful."

If elected, Segerblom has vowed to stop representing Clark County School District employees in suits against their employer. Of the four School Board races, Segerblom spent the most of candidates leading up to the primary: more than $23,000. He has advocated televising School Board meetings and also wants the superintendent's annual evaluations to be moved from behind closed doors to an open public meeting.

Tammy Green, a member of the Operation Education slate, finished third with 12.6 percent, followed by local pastor Gary Hunter, who had 10 percent. Hunter was ousted from his post at Greater St. James Baptist Church over allegations of sexual harrassment and theft. He was arrested late last month for failing to register in Nevada as a convicted sex offender, as required by law.

Ernest del Casal, who runs a support program for noncustodial fathers, had 6 percent of the vote for fifth place, with Delta Airlines supervisor Jefferson Lee in sixth place with 4.6 percent. Merietta Oviatt finished seventh with 2.7 percent.