By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The results are in, and Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp has retained her five-vote lead in the Hays USD 489 school board race to take a seat on the board.
The vote count remained the same after a recount on Friday. Curt Vajnar was the top vote-getter. Ken Brooks was the No. 2 vote-getter, and Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp placed third. Only the top three candidates take seats on the board.
Cathy Hopkins placed fourth by five votes and requested a recount last week.
The election were certified by the canvass board Monday morning.
Party representatives took turns feeding single ballots through the ballot scanner during the recount. Representatives of both Hopkins and Zampieri-Lillpopp were present during most of the recount process.
Both candidates said the recount went smoothly.
"It just goes to show you that every vote counts," Hopkins said.
She added she plans to continue to attend school board meetings and advocate for parental choice in student's health care decisions, as well as for board transparency.
"We want to be very proactive and encourage all parents to stay engaged and watchful," she said.
Zampieri-Lillpopp said transparency will be important to rebuilding the community's trust of the school board. As she takes her seat, she said she will turn her attention toward the school district's work on a bond issues.
She said she looks forward to working with the other newly elected school board members.
"I think everyone on the board has the kids as the highest priority level," she said. "I think it's a great group of individuals."
All three candidates are new to the board and will begin their four-year terms in January. The board had discussed before the election their desire to have the top vote-getter to take his seat early because there is a vacancy on the board.
Vajnar was appointed to that vacant seat and served Monday night at the school board meeting.
Vajnar, Brooks and Zampieri-Lillpopp join existing board members Tammy Wellbrock, Craig Pallister, Lori Hertel and Allen Park.