Los Gatos Weekly-Times Saratoga mayor wins a seat on community college board By Sarah Lombardo Don Wolfe took an early lead in his quest for a seat on the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees, garnering 35 percent of the votes by 9 p.m. on election night. And the current Saratoga city mayor kept his lead. With 90 percent of the votes counted, Wolfe was shown winning one of two seats available in Trustee Area 1 with 31,991 votes, or 37.29 percent. Los Gatos resident Doug Allen took an early second with 28.5 percent by 9 p.m., but barely held the second spot. With 58 percent of the votes counted, Allen won the second district seat with 23,458 votes, or 27.3 percent--compared with Saratoga resident Jeff Schwartz, who followed close behind with 23,187 votes, or 27 percent. Ryan Iwanaga, who dropped out of the race after his name was already placed on the district election ballot, won 7,272 votes, or 8.8 percent. "I'm pleased, and I look forward to transferring my experience in municipal leadership to academic leadership at the college level," Wolfe said. Wolfe said that as a district board member, he hopes to keep West Valley and Mission colleges "on the leading edge of technology." Schwartz, a former West Valley-Mission College board president, offered support to his competitors. "I congratulate them," he said. "And I wish them and the district well." In Trustee Area 2, incumbent Nancy Rucker easily held onto the one seat available on the board, winning 21,832 votes, or 41.9 percent. Earl Carmichael trailed in second with 11,270 votes, or 21.6 percent. Jason Barba followed in third with 10,040 votes, or 19.3 percent, and Julie Saldana came in fourth, with 8,940 votes, or 17.2 percent. [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] Web exclusive to the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, November 4, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.