MILLSTONE — Amy Jacobson, Billy Hanson and John Sico Jr. have won three-year terms on the Millstone Township K-8 School District Board of Education.
Jacobson is a member of the board; Hanson and Sico are newcomers who will join the panel in January.
When the results were tallied on Election Day, Nov. 3, Jacobson and Hanson emerged as clear winners of three-year terms. Jacobson retained her seat by receiving 519 votes. Hanson won a seat on the board by receiving 438 votes.
The race for the third seat was between Sico and Nicole Pyhel and the two candidates were separated by fewer than five votes.
It took a little more than one week to sort through every ballot and on Nov. 12, Monmouth County election officials announced that Sico had won the third seat with 414 votes, just ahead of Pyhel, who received 411 votes.
The other candidates in the race were board member Ramon Recalde, who received 366 votes, and Tabitha Zuleika Fudge, who received 271 votes.
Hanson thanked his friends and family members for their support during his campaign.
“I am looking forward to a new challenge as a board member,” Hanson said. “I am looking forward to working with Superintendent of Schools Scott Feder, the other board members, the faculty and staff in Millstone’s school system and the Millstone community.
“I am grateful and appreciative for the trust placed in me by Millstone residents and am committed to whatever may be demanded of me as I serve my term.
“Millstone has a special place in my heart. It has been home for more than 12 years. It has been a pleasure to be active and involved in the community as a member of the Recreation Committee and now as a member of the Board of Education,” Hanson said.
Asked to comment on the outcome of the election, Sico said, “Millstone is very lucky to have had six very qualified persons who wanted to serve the township as members of the board. Millstone is a great place to live and Millstone has very good schools.
“I believe that all of the elected board members working with the school staff and residents can make our schools the best they can be. The bottom line is that the student must always come first.
“When I was a superintendent of schools, one of my favorite quotes was, ‘working together we will make a difference.’ And lastly I would like to thank everyone who voted for me,” Sico said.
Pyhel, who is the president and information officer of the Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence, declined to answer when asked if she would request a recount of her three-vote loss in the election. She said she had no comment for this article.