FORTVILLE – It was a mixed bag of results in the Mt. Vernon school board race, where two of three incumbents retained their seats while one of two challengers scored a victory.
The five candidates were running for three at-large seats.
Returning board member Meghan Britt got the most support, landing 4,559 votes (28%).
Incumbent Chad Gray and newcomer Stacy Nielsen were next, with Gray securing 3,310 votes (20.3%) and Nielsen securing 3,278 (20.1%).
Challenger Jamie Kalb came in fourth with 2,627 votes (16.1%), while incumbent Phil Edwards netted 2,523 (15.5%).
Edwards had nothing but positive things to say about the school board’s future.
“Those who were elected I have full confidence in, especially the two that I worked with,” he said.
“I don’t know (Nielsen) very well, but from what I’ve heard she’s going to do great, and I think the school board is in good, good hands … I just wish and pray the best for all of them,” he said, expressing thanks for the opportunity to serve.
Nielsen said she was honored to be elected within such a positive pool of candidates.
“Our community is fortunate that there were five highly engaged and qualified candidates running for the three seats,” she said, calling the current school board “an incredibly dedicated and talented group of professionals.”
Nielsen said she’s humbled and honored to join the board, and thanked her supporters who put her there.
“I want to thank everyone who voted for me, put a sign in their yard, stood at the polling site, made posts, and just encouraged me along the way,” she said Wednesday morning after a busy day of campaigning on Election Day.
“I was so impressed by the voter turnout at all the polling sites yesterday and throughout early voting,” she said. “I enjoyed meeting and talking with members of our community.”
Britt also expressed thanks for those who turned out to vote, especially her supporters.
“I’m honored and really grateful that I’m able to continue to serve. I’m just really anticipating finishing some work we already started and I’m sure getting into some new projects,” said Britt, who was appointed to the board a year go to complete a term after a previous member stepped down.
She’s grateful for the opportunity to start her first full term next year.
“I think Mt. Vernon is in good hands and I’m just really thankful for the support and the kindness that everyone has shown me over the last year,” said Britt.
Gray said he’s excited to see what the next four years will bring.
“I think we’ve gotten some level of continuity, and the district has a lot of plans in place that we should be able to help carry over in the next four years,” he said, adding that it was an honor to be elected to a second term.
“I thought that we had five really good candidates, which is exciting for the community to know that there was that level of interest and quality candidates,” added Gray.
While she didn’t win her first-ever political run, Jamie Kalb said she enjoyed the experience, and that voters might see her again.
“As I mentioned in the candidates forum, I’ve devoted 15 years to education, so I’m still not done yet. For now I’m going to take some time, discuss with my family, and see what’s next,” she said. “I might go on to bigger and better things. I’ve got a couple of ideas. We’ll see.”
For now she plans to focus on her screenprinting business, Doin’ Tees, which she runs out of her McCordsville home. “But I don’t want to give up on education,” said Kalb, a former reading specialist. “That’s my passion.”
The newly elected Mt. Vernon school board members will join fellow members Kellie Freeman and Shannon Walls, both of whom are in their third term.
