
From left: Lisa Samuelson, Clem Pope and Susan Hardy, all of Oakridge.
By DOUG BATES/Editor/The Herald — School bus driver Lisa Samuelson won a clear victory in Tuesday’s special election for the Oakridge School Board, while incumbent Susan Hardy and newcomer Clem Pope held razor-thin leads seven hours after the polls closed.
In neighboring Lowell, incumbent James Chapman cruised to re-election on the school board, defeating challenger Jerry Valencia by a margin of more than two to one.

Jim Chapman of Lowell
The Oakridge races, featuring six candidates vying for three openings on the board, were much closer, except for Samuelson’s race. Early Wednesday she was leading Stacy Tindall, a teacher, by a vote of 414 to 337.
In extremely close balloting, Hardy, a retired teacher, was leading challenger August Reed, a certified nursing assistant, by just seven votes, 376 to 369. And Pope, an emergency room physician assistant, was leading Charlie Ross, a physician and university professor, by only 10 votes, 392 to 382.
If the Oakridge results hold up in final counting, the biggest winner of all may be Supt. Reta Doland. After months of being under fire from the teachers union and a parent group, her performance issues were sharply criticized by Tindall, Ross and Reed, while Samuelson, Pope and Hardy either supported her or remained neutral in the controversy.
In Lowell, where the vote stood lopsided at 412 to 162, Chapman, a retired music teacher, was the clear winner over challenger Jerry Valencia, owner of a construction company. Two other Lowell candidates, Jason Prenevost and incumbent Michael Galvin, were elected without opposition.
That was also the case in Pleasant Hill, where three school board candidates — Drew Gottfried, Rusty Rexius and Stephen Hammond — were elected in uncontested races.