Many faces - some familiar, some new - will be joining and returning to Callaway County's school boards following Tuesday's municipal election.
Fulton
The Fulton Public Schools Board of Education race was incredibly tight. Four candidates - Joe Davis, Connie Epperson, Todd Gray and Emily Omohundro - competed for three seats.
Omohundro and Epperson got the most votes, with 27.58 percent voting for Omohundro and 26.18 percent voting for Epperson.
"I'm greatly thankful to continue the work I've been able to do with the board and the district these past three years," Omohundro said.
Omohundro said her first order of business once the new board reconvenes will be to focus on planning to return to school next fall while taking into consideration COVID-19.
"Obviously, I feel very honored and privileged that the citizens of our district felt that I would be a good person to serve on the board," Epperson said.
Epperson, a retired administrator and teacher, said her priorities relate to teacher retention and recruitment.
With results from all precincts reported, Davis and Gray were tied for the remaining spot on the board - both received 23.12 percent, or 1,038 votes.
North Callaway
North Callaway voters chose among five candidates - all newcomers - for three three-year terms. With 528 voters casting ballots (each voters selecting their top three picks), Tim Safranski took 290 votes, Ann Schmidt took 262 and Kendall Pipes received 243. Jamie Leigh Hill and Rebecca Wall lagged at 229 and 190, respectively.
"Since I put my name in there's been a couple bigger issues come up the board has to grapple with," Safranski said. "I'm looking to working with the new and established members to find solutions."
Schmidt and Pipes were at the same watch party, with family members chatting excitedly in the background.
"I'm excited to have a chance to support North Callaway and the community and the students," Schmidt said.
"I'm super happy that Ann and Tim won; I think that's awesome," Pipes added.
To voters, he said, "Thank you very much - we appreciate it, and I look forward to seeing you all at the meetings to help us push what we have going on."
Incumbent Sandy Lavy was the sole candidate for a two-year term; she'll fill the seat vacated by David Isaacks partway into his term. She received 427 votes.
Lavy said she had "every intention" of not running again but decided to go for one last term after realizing how many incumbents were choosing not to seek re-election.
"I thought it would help to have a little more experience," she said. "We've got tough decisions coming up because of COVID, the state funding cuts. We're going to have to make some decisions that aren't popular. But I I enjoy it, and I'm looking forward to two more years of it."
New Bloomfield
The New Bloomfield Board of Education's newest members include Angie Robinson Sullivan, Josh Woods and Gina Clark.
Sullivan received 29.21 percent of the votes, while Woods received 27.65 percent and Clark received 21.74 percent.
Candidate Brooke Edwards, who was also vying for a spot, fell short, only three votes behind Clark.
South Callaway
Janice Howard, Penny Felkner and Stephanie Laney were all re-elected to the South Callaway R-2 School District Board of Education.
Howard received 29.59 percent of the votes, Felkner received 26.1 percent and Laney received 25.84 percent.
Newcomer Robert Munford, who was not elected to the board, received 138 votes.
The returning board members will serve for a term of three years. The next school board meeting is scheduled for June 10.