Results from the Tuesday, April 1 city council and school board elections were validated by the McClain County Election Board on Friday.
In the Newcastle Board of Education Office No. 5 race, incumbent Jeremy Gilbertson held onto the seat against challenger James Orton, 373 to 104. For the Newcastle City Council member Ward 3 seat, incumbent Mike Fullerton beat Jon Malcolm, 353 to 110. In the council member Ward 1 seat race, Todd D’amico beat incumbent council member Kimberly Sutton, 265 to 203.
Fullerton said, “I first want to say thank you to Newcastle’s families for their continuing positive support, for placing their trust in me for another term.
“As an incumbent candidate you never know how the vote will turn out. You must have faith in God that his will be done. Like others who have held a locally elected position before, you want everyone to realize how families sacrifice time away from one another. Yes, I said families of city councils and school boards make daily sacrifices so their family member can be a part of your local council, school board, and appointed committees.”
Fullerton said he will be concentrating his efforts on several things including “safety first.”
He said, “I will still be pushing and keeping the light shining bright on SH-76 getting rebuilt to make the roadway safer from ELECTION on page 3 SH-30 to inside of Blanchard since the first phase has started this month.
ELECTION: Sutton says‘City will continue to prosper,’ Gilbertson will continue working on high-quality education
“State Highway 130 has become the next highway to draw my attention, ODOT wants Newcastle to take over without making little safety improvements to the highway. What ODOT has failed to tell us is this project would take approximately $20 million dollars to make these safety improvements that are so much needed. If the city had unlimited funds, it would ideally be faster for the city to take over the roadway. Unfortunately, Newcastle has extremely limited financial resources to draw from for this type of project.
“I am sure everyone would love to see $20 million dollars spent directly on water and sewer infrastructure, parks and sports complex, and other items that improve a better quality of life for Newcastle residents.
“We currently have a compressive study for land use, sewer, and water infrastructure. It is now time for a compressive drainage study of our section line road drainage structures, so we can prepare for storm water drainage by looking 20-30 years down the line as Newcastle continues to grow.
“In closing again, I want to say thank you. It is such an honor to be one of five voices for Newcastle residents. I would like to ask you to please keep that small town feeling in your heart that enticed you to move and live in Newcastle. This is what makes our city such a wonderful place to live and be a part of.”
Fullerton’s next term runs through April 2029.
D’amico said, “I appreciate my family and friends supporting me during the campaign. Thank you Newcastle for allowing me the privilege to serve as your Council member for Ward 1. I am honored to have this opportunity. I am passionate about our residents, their families, public safety, economic development, and infrastructure improvements. I look forward to serving our community over the next two years.”
D’amico will serve the remainder of an unexpired term through April 2027.
Sutton, who had been appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of a term when Tommy Clay vacated his position, said, “It has been an absolute pleasure to serve our incredible community on the Newcastle City Council. During my time as a Council member for Ward 1, I have learned so much about our city and its rich history. I truly value the experiences and connections formed along the way. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute and play a part in shaping our community’s future.
“As I step away, I am confident that the City is in good hands and will continue to prosper under the leadership of those who remain and those newly stepping into service. Congratulations to everyone beginning or continuing their journey on the Council—your dedication and hard work will undoubtedly make a positive difference. Thank you all for allowing me to be part of this incredible chapter for Newcastle.”
Gilbertson said, “I’m incredibly grateful and humbled by the support I’ve received from the community. It’s an honor to be re-elected to the Newcastle School Board, and I’m excited to continue working alongside fellow board members to support our students, teachers, administrators and families.
“As the population of Newcastle continues to grow, my priority will be to ensure that our educational system adapts to meet the evolving needs of our expanding community. We need to focus on maintaining high-quality education, addressing the increasing demand for resources, and ensuring that every student has the support they need to succeed. I’m also committed to promoting strong collaboration with fellow board members, district leadership, and keeping open lines of communication with families. The community’s input is invaluable to making informed decisions for the future of our schools.”
Gilbertson’s term of office runs through April 2030.
