TOWAMENCIN — The counting is over, the oaths have been taken, and the incumbents are back.
North Penn school board members Tina Stoll, Christian Fusco, Jonathan Kassa and Al Roesch were each sworn in for new four-year terms on the board on Monday night.
“I appreciate everyone’s confidence in me, and I appreciate being able to work with everyone again for another term. Thank you so much,” said Stoll.
Beginning with May’s primary and running well past election day in November, the four incumbent Democrats faced a stiff challenge from a team of Republican challengers, who questioned the board’s policies regarding COVID-19, education in classrooms, and prioritizing projects in and around various schools. While early vote totals reported by Montgomery County had the Republicans ahead based on in-person voting, updated counts including mail-in votes gave the four Democrats the win.
Board member Elisha Gee read those vote totals at the start of Monday night’s reorganization meeting, holding the gavel as temporary board president for just shy of 20 minutes.
“The board secretary has been officially notified as to the results of the municipal general election, held on November 2, 2021. The election of the following individuals to the North Penn board of school directors has been certified: Tina Stoll, 15,553 votes; Christian Fusco, 15,228 votes; Jonathan Kassa, 14,808 votes, and Al Roesch, 14,225 votes,” Gee said.
“It is my privilege and honor to read off officially, the newly elected directors, to take the oath of office,” she said, before inviting each to receive their oath.
The four re-elected members then each raised their hands and repeated an oath from District Judge Ed Levine, joined by family and cheered on by a crowd of about two dozen friends and supporters. After applause for each, the four returned to their seats on the stage of North Penn High School’s auditorium, and board member Tim MacBain nominated Stoll to act as board president for a one-year term, and Gee nominated Fusco to serve as board vice president, both motions approved unanimously.
Fusco added his own thanks to his fellow board members and the family members in attendance, thanks Stoll then echoed.
“I think sometimes it’s easier to be the candidate than the spouse of a candidate, so thank you so much for all your support,” she said.
“It was a difficult year — I’m not going to lie, it was a tough election — and we’re just very appreciative of all of the support that was shown to us,” Stoll said.
The board then voted unanimously to name Roesch to act as their liaison to the North Montco Technical Career Center’s joint operating committee, for a term running through 2024. Stoll also announced that the board’s 2022 meeting calendar has been finalized, and committee assignments distributed, with all current members remaining on the same committees but two changes in committee chairs.
“The only thing is, Mrs. (Cathy) Wesley will chair the facilities and operations committee going forward, and Mr. Roesch will chair the policy committee going forward,” Stoll said.
North Penn’s school board next meets at 7 p.m. on Dec. 16 at Pennbrook Middle School, 1201 North Wales Road in Upper Gwynedd. For more information visit www.NPenn.org.
