By: Mary Beth Almond | Rochester Post | Published November 15, 2022
ROCHESTER/ROCHESTER HILLS/OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Incumbent Jessica Gupta and newcomer Carol Beth Litkouhi outpaced challengers Eddie Hillery and Dennis Talluto for two six-year seats on the Rochester Community Schools Board of Education, according to unofficial results from Oakland County Elections Division. Newcomer Andrew Weaver secured a two-year term on the board Nov. 8, outpacing incumbent Joe Pittel and challenger Julie Alspach.
Gupta received the most votes in the race for the two six-year terms, with 19,837, while Litkouhi came in second, garnering 16,980, according to unofficial results from Oakland County Elections Division. Hillery earned 16,010 and Talluto rounded out the field with 15,421. In addition, 167 write-in ballots were cast.
Gupta, a social worker and college instructor, has lived in Rochester for seven years and in the Rochester area for 12 years. She was first appointed to the school board in March of 2020.
Gupta said she is “honored and grateful” for the opportunity to serve the community.
“My entire adult life has been devoted to investing in the next generation, and I’m honored to have an opportunity to plug into that this way. I’m (also) hopeful that, moving forward, we can heal any wounds from the past and just continue building on the strengths of this community for our kids,” said Gupta.
Carol Beth Litkouhi — a teacher who has lived in Rochester Hills for 12 years — said she overcame “a lot of powerful forces” in this election.
“We did not have the advantage of incumbency, the organization of labor unions (even national representatives showed up to oppose us!), or the district’s expansive communication network. I’m so encouraged that in the end, our local community believed in our mission and stepped up for the sake of our kids. Hopefully, we can now unite by focusing on our common goal: we all want the best education possible for our kids,” she said in an email.
Likouhi said she is ready to begin the “process of repairing the divide.”
“We can have thoughtful conversations. We can restore our focus on academics, transparency, partnership with parents, and accountability. I look forward to continuing this journey, striving for pride in excellence for all kids in our schools,” she said in an email.
In the race for the one, one-year term on the school board, Weaver earned 14,710 votes, Pittel earned 13,282 votes and Alspach received 6,852 votes, according to unofficial results from Oakland County Elections Division. In addition, 110 votes were cast for write-ins.
Weaver, who works in manufacturing, has lived in Rochester Hills for eight years. He said he is “honored and humbled” by the fact that enough voters decided to “support a genuinely nonpartisan platform — one that focused on the majority of voters that may lean a little left or a little right but, in the end, want to do what is right.”
“I look forward to rebuilding the trust between RCS and the community. This work will not be easy, but I am excited to take it on with the great people that make up Rochester Community Schools,” Weaver said in an email.
RCS board meetings are held at 7 p.m. on scheduled Mondays in the district’s Administration Building, 52585 Dequindre Road in Rochester. Meetings are broadcast on Comcast Channel 19, WOW Channel 15, or RCS Cable TV. Video recordings are then posted online, generally within 48 hours after the meeting at www.rochester.k12.mi.us.