All nine Laval-island seats up for grabs in Laurier School Board elections

On Laval island, of nine incumbents, five are seeking re-election as members of Partners for Success (PFS), four as independents. A new Electoral Ticket, PACE - Partners Actively Committed to Education, has issued challenges in eight of the nine wards.

All 9 seats in Laval, will be contested Nov. 4, 2007, with one third of these bringing out three candidates seeking to represent taxpayers. In the 6 other wards, there are two-way races.

At dissolution of the Council of Commissioners Sept. 26, 2007, Partners for Success held 13 of the board's 19 seats, with 4 of these (out of nine) in Laval. Partners For Success (PFS) was the only recognized electoral ticket in the 2003 election, losing only 6 wards, all to independents in a pronounced victory for leader Steve Bletas and his team. Mr. Bletas went on to serve a second mandate as Chairman of the Board, the post he held until last week's council dissolution. Mr. Bletas is seeking a third mandate as commissioner for Ward 13.

Unlike 2003 when they were unopposed by any organized team, this time Partners for Success will be campaigning against a new ticket that calls itself PACE – Partners Actively Committed to Education, led by Luigi Lapolla who is challenging Mr. Bletas for the Ward 13 seat.

Of note, independent incumbents Tony De Lauri (Ward 14), Walter Fogel (Ward 19), Steve Kmec (Ward 12), and Albina Pace (Ward 11) are all seeking re-election, as are Partners For Success incumbents Nick Milas, Grace Nesi, Nazario Facchino, and Steve Bletas. Newcomer to the Partners For Success slate is former Parent Commissioner Tom Mouhteros who held Ward 18 for the past several months, following the passing away of long-serving commissioner Morton (Morty) Schrier.

Also of note, Partners For Success is fielding candidates in only six of the nine Laval wards, opting to not challenge independent incumbents Albina Pace, Steve Kmec and Walter Fogel, who nonetheless will have to beat PACE candidates Mohammed Aly, Maggie Delli Colli and Vince Mafei, respectively, to retain their seats. Albina Pace, in Ward 11, has the added task of also having to beat independent Michael Arfanis to retain her seat.

PFS is however challenging incumbent Tony De Lauri in Ward 14, naming retired teacher and former Laurier Teachers Union President Mario Di Domenico as their candidate, in a three-way race which also sees former English Montreal School Board Assistant Director-General Renzo Orzi vying for the seat.

The PACE slate is fielding candidates in 8 of the nine Laval wards, staying out of Ward 18, where independents Franca Celli and Manuel Lima will challenge Tom Mouhteros.

PFS's 6 candidates on Laval island are Steve Bletas, Mario Di Domenico, Nazario Facchino, Nick Milas, Tom Mouhteros and Grace Nesi. PACE's 8 candidates are Mohammed Aly, Tony D'Elia, Maggie Delli Colli, Tina D'Onofrio, Luigi Lapolla, Vince Mafei. Renzo Orzi, and Diana Sbrissa, The 7 independent candidates are Michael Arfanis, Franca Celli, Tony De Lauri, Walter Fogel, Steve Kmec, Manuel Lima, and Albina Pace.