On Tuesday, May 18, in addition to voting on the proposed 2021-22 school budget, Stillwater residents will elect four members to the Board of Education. They will vote to fill three ‘at-large’ seats with three-year terms that run from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2024, and one seat with a two-year term, to run from May 19, 2021, to June 30, 2023, a seat that was vacated early by a board member.
The three persons receiving the three highest number of votes will be elected to the three-year terms, and the person receiving the fourth highest number of votes will serve the two-year term. The candidates, in ballot order, are Shay Williams, Jon Mueller, Paul Lilac and Jimel Williams.
Voting will take place from 12-9 p.m. in the Auditorium. Here is some information about the candidates.

Shay Williams is running for reelection to the Board of Education. She has lived most of her life in Stillwater and is a 1996 Stillwater High School graduate. Both of her children, Simon (20) and Amelia (16), have attended school at Stillwater since kindergarten. Shay was active with the Stillwater PTA when her children were younger, served on the Board of Education from July 2016 to July 2019, and was elected in June 2020 to fill a vacancy for a one-year term.
Shay has been a very strong advocate for ensuring an appropriate education for all students. Having earned her bachelor’s degree in theatre, she is also a strong supporter of the arts. Shay currently works in Human Resources at a local hospital.
About serving on the Board of Education, Shay said, “I am looking forward to the prospect of continuing to serve the Board of Education, as I have always thoroughly enjoyed my time volunteering in this capacity,” Williams said.

Jon Mueller has lived in Stillwater for 41 years and is running for reelection to the Board of Education. He is a graduate of Stillwater High School and Eckerd College, where he received a bachelor’s degree in sociology, and the College of Saint Rose, where he received a master’s degree in secondary education.
Jon currently serves as the head baseball coach at University at Albany, where he has been for 23 years. In the community, Jon has been a volunteer Battle Football coach for eight years. He has also been involved with youth soccer, Halfmoon Youth Baseball, and Stillwater girls varsity basketball. Jon and his wife Patricia have two children, Marley and Jaxon.
About serving on the Board of Education, Jon said, “My goal is to enrich the experience of our students through a fiscally responsible plan for our district.”

Paul “Butch” Lilac is a lifelong resident of the community of Stillwater. He is a graduate of Stillwater High School and attended Paul Smith’s College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from SUNY Brockport (State Teachers College).
Butch spent 34 years teaching fourth, fifth and sixth grade in Stillwater and coached basketball and baseball at the high school level. He also served the community of Stillwater as Town Supervisor from 1983 until 2003.
As a teacher and school board member, Butch believes that “learning can be fun!” Butch is married to the former Kathrynn Hallum. They have three children, Jeff, Bruce, and Carrie, all graduates of Stillwater. They also have six grandchildren: Teresa, Victoria, Quinn, Lukas, Brandon, and Bella.
About serving on the Board of Education, Butch said he will “work to help provide the necessary tools to assist students, teachers, and administrators in providing a good education for everyone.”

Jimel Williams is a proud graduate of Stillwater High School, class of ‘97, and he has been a member of the Stillwater community since moving here in 1991. After graduating from RPI with a degree in Management Information Systems, he and his wife, Chelsea, returned to raise twins Mariah and Elijah, who are currently 8th graders at Stillwater.
Jimel is a public servant for the State of New York, with 20 years of dedicated service. Currently, he supports the Office of Information Technology Services as a Technical Manager providing leadership on System Modernization Projects.
Jimel ran for Stillwater Town Council in 2019 and is a member of The Sons of the American Legion. He was also a community advisor with the Stillwater Police Department collaborating on the Police Reform and Reinvention Project in 2021.
Jimel said he would like to serve on the Board of Education because, “Stillwater has been the only place I call home since moving from NYC in 1991. This is where I was allowed to excel academically, as well as in football. As a father of a special needs child, I want to advocate for all kids in Stillwater, especially for those on the spectrum. My goal has always been to give back to the community that has supported me.”