Newcomers and a veteran

After a year when many in the community called for fresh voices on the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board, voters elected two new trustees on Tuesday even while opting to retain the board’s longest-standing member.

Karen Yelsey, a former PTA president at Corona del Mar High School and longtime community volunteer, edged out incumbent Serene Stokes with 55.6% of the vote. Michael Collier, the PTA president of College Park Elementary School, defeated nurse and therapist Kimberly Clark for an open seat with 54.9%.

Judy Franco, who has served on the board since 1980, beat out three challengers for her seventh straight electoral victory. Franco garnered 40.8% of the vote, with Corona del Mar High School parent Loretta Zimmerman, retired teacher Sandy Asper and veteran educator Jack Price — who had called off his campaign — finishing behind her.

Walt Davenport, a former Costa Mesa planning commissioner, won another open seat on the board this summer when he ran for it unopposed. At the board’s meeting on Dec. 12, Davenport, Yelsey and Collier are scheduled to be sworn in. The election marked the first time since 1994 that Newport-Mesa has inducted more than two new board members in a year.

“It was not just me who was successful,” said Yelsey, whose victory over Stokes was the biggest upset of the night. “It was a large group of people, and I could not have done it without the support I had. I’m humbled by the commitment people made to my campaign and the fact that they instill so much confidence in me.

“I plan on making this a full-time job. I will be accessible, and I will open up lines of communication.”

Stokes, a trustee since 1994, praised her opponent for running an intense campaign and said she planned to spend time with her family after stepping down.

“It was a very difficult election, and I want to say that I really feel privileged to have worked with Dr. [Robert] Barbot, to have had the opportunity to hire Dr. [Jeffrey] Hubbard, and to be on a board that has accomplished so much,” she said, referring to Newport-Mesa’s former and current superintendents.

Yelsey and Collier received endorsements from the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers, which also endorsed Asper. While Yelsey raised more money than any other candidate, Collier ran a low-key campaign, relying largely on public appearances and his connections in the Newport-Mesa and Orange Coast College communities.

“I’m glad for all the people who voted for me,” he said. “I’m grateful, of course, for the union giving me their support, but mostly, it’s exciting to be part of that group and be able to get something done over the next four years.”

Franco, who will be Newport-Mesa’s longest-serving trustee ever if she completes her coming term, praised her three opponents.

“I commend each and every individual who ran for a school board office who had the interest and willingness to spend the time to help make democracy work,” she said.

In the race for the Coast Community College District board of trustees, Jim Moreno, a retired budget administrator who ran twice for Huntington Beach City Council, soundly defeated three opponents to take the open seat being vacated by trustee George Brown. Moreno, who took 46.4% of the vote, said his goals included adding vocational classes to the district and hiring enough faculty to meet all students’ needs.

“There’s a lot, I’m sure, I’m going to be asked to be involved with, and I look forward to the challenges,” he said. “I also look forward to teamwork with such outstanding people who are on the board.”

Incumbent Mary Hornbuckle narrowly defeated her main challenger, William Howard Taft University President David Boyd. Hornbuckle, who was appointed to the board last year following the death of trustee Paul Berger, took 42.4% of the vote, while Boyd finished close behind with 41.4%.

Even though the race was neck-and-neck, Hornbuckle opted not to stay up on Tuesday to follow the results online.

“I went to bed about 10:30 and said, ‘Whatever will be will be,’ ” she said.