ARMSTRONG SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRIMARY ELECTION – MAY 17TH

This information is being sent because so many of you have expressed interest in supporting these
amazing candidates for ASD school director in this May’s primary election. Apologies are in order for
the length of this document. There is a huge amount of information we need to get out to the
electorate, so please forward this to everyone you think will be interested and who will vote. Please
ask them to forward it to their contacts also. The e-mail “tree” has been very successful in getting
information widely disseminated with no cost, so this is vitally important.

Those running in Region 1 (opposing Solak/Kozuch/Wissinger) have the heaviest lift. They will need to
produce the greatest amount of campaign material and will need the most financial support. Region 3,
which features Stan Berdell (white hat) opposing Rose Stitt (current board president) will be the second
most competitive race. Region 2 candidates are Amy Lhote and incumbent Chris Choncek – whose
stamina (along with fellow incumbent Jim Rearic) is to be applauded for tolerating the horrific school
board meetings all these years. It’s interesting that Team Solak did not field a candidate in Region 2.

Here’s how this election stacks up: All candidates have cross-filed on both the Republican and
Democratic ballots. If a candidate wins on both ballots in the primary, he or she will appear as the
candidate of both parties in the November general election and could only be defeated by a write-in
campaign, which is highly unlikely. It’s very possible to win this in May – it’s up to us to bring it home!

YOU CAN DONATE TO MORE THAN ONE OF THESE CANDIDATES AND WE HOPE YOU WILL!
The candidates have established a campaign committee in each of the three voting regions, so please
contribute early and often! Checks may be sent to each candidate of your choice or to all the candidates
running in a particular region. Anything you can donate (no amount is too small) to as many candidates
as possible will be a vital investment in the future of Armstrong County and the future of our children!

Region 1: Burrell Bethel Cadogan Ford City North Buffalo

Manor Manorville Ford Cliff West Kittanning

MAKE PERSONAL CHECKS PAYABLE TO ONE CANDIDATE OR TO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

FRIENDS OF JIM REARIC ▪ FRIENDS OF PAUL LOBBY ▪ FRIENDS OF LARRY ROBB

Two-year Term: Friends of Jim Rearic Jim Rearic is opposed by

(Vote for One) Post Office Box 126 Team Solak candidate
Ford City, PA 16226-0126 Steve Kozuch

Four-year Term: Friends of Paul Lobby Paul Lobby & Larry Robb
(Vote for Two) Friends of Larry Robb are opposed by Jim Solak
Post Office Box 126 & Karen Wissinger
Ford City, PA 16226-0126

Two separate offices will appear on Region 1 ballots. Three directors will be elected; one for a two-year term
(Markilinski’s unexpired term) and two for four-year terms. Region 1 voters will be able to vote for a total of
three candidates. It’s obviously very confusing. Please help us to get this widely circulated so that people
know what to expect when they go to the polls. Region 1 is absolutely key to a board turn-around!

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 ARMSTRONG SCHOOL DISTRICT
PRIMARY ELECTION – MAY 17TH

Region 2: Applewold Kittanning Washington Worthington

East Franklin Rayburn West Franklin

MAKE PERSONAL CHECKS PAYABLE TO ONE CANDIDATE OR TO BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING:

FRIENDS OF CHRIS CHONCEK ▪ FRIENDS OF AMY LHOTE

Four-year Term: Friends of Chris Choncek Chris Choncek & Amy Lhote
(Vote for Two) Friends of Amy Lhote are opposed by Jack Burford
Post Office Box 709
Worthington, PA 16262-0709

Region 3: Atwood Dayton Smicksburg Cowanshannock Valley

Boggs Elderton Rural Valley West Mahoning Wayne
Pine Plumcreek South Bend Kittanning Twp

MAKE PERSONAL CHECKS PAYABLE TO FRIENDS OF STAN BERDELL

Four-year Term: Friends of Stan Berdell Stan Berdell is opposed by Team

(Vote for One) Post Office Box 158 Solak candidate and current board
Yatesboro, PA 16263-0158 president Rose Stitt

To recap, the ASD taxpayers will select SIX BOARD MEMBERS in the May 17 th primary; two-thirds of
the board! To regain an intelligent, student-oriented, business-like focus in the ASD – one that
reflects the feelings of the majority of taxpayers – we must elect at least FIVE BOARD MEMBERS from
this very qualified slate.

We’re all aware of the expense involved in printing/signage/advertising, etc. (for a volunteer position),
so any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated. It’s vital that we take full advantage of
this unique opportunity.
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Now, to the next important topic… This effort will be for nothing if we don’t get the right voters to the
polls. We must be sure these candidates’ supporters are actually REGISTERED TO VOTE!

A PA Voter Registration Form is attached to this e-mail. It can be

downloaded and mailed directly to the Armstrong County Courthouse. It
must be postmarked by April 18th to be eligible for the primary election.

Someone who wants to register in person can go to the Voter

Registration Department on the second floor of the courthouse annex
building in Kittanning and complete the process immediately. Their
hours are Monday-Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm.

THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS APRIL 18TH!

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 ARMSTRONG SCHOOL DISTRICT
PRIMARY ELECTION – MAY 17TH
Ok, last but not least: In addition to financial support, anyone willing to help put up signs, hand out
literature door-to-door, find locations for yard signs, work the polls on May 17th, make phone calls
encouraging other people to vote or support these fabulous candidates in any other way, please contact
them directly to offer your assistance:

REGION 1: PAUL LOBBY lobby@windstream.net

JIM REARIC james.rearic@bp.com
LARRY ROBB robb8454@gmail.com

REGION 2: CHRIS CHONCEK cchoncek@gmail.com

AMY LHOTE amylhote@gmail.com

REGION 3: STAN BERDELL fosb2011@gmail.com

Thanks for your determination in wading through this complicated document.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our three current school board incumbents (Jim Rearic, Chris
Choncek and Joe Close) who have “taken the bullets” for all of us during recent years and managed to
keep Team Solak from completely destroying the district and bankrupting the taxpayers. In addition, a
debt is owed by all of us to the wonderful candidates who have stepped up to the plate to turn around
the sorry state of the ASD. Now, it’s our job to get them all elected in a landslide on May 17th!

Thank you in advance for your support of these candidates and a special thank you to Senator Don
White and Representative Jeff Pyle who recognized that the current school board is out of control and
who have taken public action to protect their constituents. Senator White put it best when he asked,
“Do you want to be robbed at gunpoint or have your pocket picked?”

This is our chance to stop the madness!