FLOYD COUNTY — Two school board incumbents are facing off for the same school board seat this May at New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp.

Roger Whaley, District 1 representative, and Don Sakel, At-Large representative, are both vying for the District 1 seat.

Sakel, 77, said he was active in getting it changed from having appointed board members to them being elected. He said he served on the first elected board, in 2002, in District 1. For his second term, he had moved, so he was elected for the then At-Large open seat. Now, he moved back to the area and wants his original post back.

“I chose to run to represent my own district, District 1,” he said. “I don’t represent just District 1 though. I represent all the students in Floyd County.”

Whaley, 69, said he didn’t think a fellow board member would be competing for his seat.

“It really surprised me,” he said.

Both say they are the right person for the seat.

“I’ve always run my life on honesty and integrity and I believe I bring that to the school board,” Whaley said. “That’s how I run my life and that’s how I’d like to be known on the board.”

Sakel said it’s about experience, saying that he’s been working in public schools as a teacher, administrator and now as a board member for 50 years.

“I have more experience, so I understand the problems,” he said. “I’m the better one for the job. I understand the total gamut of school business.”

Whaley said he too has experience and cites that as part of the reason the New Albany-Floyd County Education Association and Community Coalition has chosen to support him in the District 1 race.

“I think my experience as a member of the teachers’ association a long time ago puts me in a position where I can deal both with administrators and with the teachers,” Whaley said. “I understand both sides.”

Sakel said the group has the right to support Whaley.

“I will not be beholding to anyone or any single person,” Sakel said. “I’m my own person. I’m going to vote for what’s right for kids.”

Sakel said he wants to be on the board because it’s a way for him to be involved in the community during his retirement years.

“This is my chance to give back,” he said.

Whaley said he wants the seat, because there’s work left to do.

“I think we still have some unfinished business on the board and I would like to see it through,” he said.

Both said potential future budget cuts from the state would make for some tough decisions on the board.

Sakel and Whaley are now working to spread the word to get people to vote for them on May 4, making sure people realize that it’s a non-partisan election that everyone in Floyd County can vote for. Whaley said he’s hoping that the teachers’ association helps get his name out there as well as some direct mailings. Sakel said he is getting signs out there supporting himself as well as possibly going door-to-door.