There are set to be two new faces on the Newport Beach City Council as Michelle Barto and Sara Weber join incumbent Noah Blom in taking leads after the close of polls.
In the most recent update to election results released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters Wednesday evening, Barto, a businesswoman, led Nancy Scarbrough 21,608 votes to 13,289 in District 2. The district represents the areas of Newport Heights, West Cliff, Newport Shores and West Newport.
Blom, a restauranteur first elected to council four years ago, was well ahead with 22,559 votes over Jeff Herdman’s 12,559 for the council seat in District 5. Herdman is a former councilmember. The district includes Port Streets, Big Canyon, Irvine Terrace, Balboa Island, Harbor Island, Linda Isle, and Beacon Bay.
Weber, a certified public accountant, had built the strongest lead, with 25,173 votes over her challenger, Miles Patricola, at 9,042 votes in District 7, representing Newport Coast.
While Blom, a Newport Beach native, said serving on the council is not his “real job,” he said he loves the city so much that he is thankful to voters that he can continue to serve and see through some of the projects he’s spearheaded, such as the trolley program.
“I think we’ll have one of the strongest, most cohesive councils in all of Orange County,” he said. “I’m thankful to be moving forward and happy about the spread of the margin. It’s nice to see a large part of Newport is on my side.”
He said while he is focused on the town’s connectivity, he is also passionate about preserving its small village charm, especially the main streets in communities such as Corona del Mar and Balboa Island, where he would like to implement zoning changes to keep the areas more village-like.
“It makes us who we are,” he said. “I like to be a decision-maker when it comes to local politics. The last thing I want to see is large housing in all our villages. I’d like to see little vibrant downtowns.”
Barto, too, thanked all those who voted for her and said she would be focused on ensuring the town is “invested in infrastructure, public safety and the harbor.”
As part of the public safety piece, she said she’d like to see the city’s Fire Department and lifeguards have greater interoperability in creating more safety in the community.
“It’s such an honor that many people placed their trust in me,” she said of the widening margin in her race. “I worked very hard and had a plan, but I’m still surprised when I win.”
Before taking her seat at the dais in December, Barto, a current Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee, said she would attend the next few council meetings to familiarize herself in greater detail with some of the council topics. She said she would also review upcoming city projects.
Weber, a Newport Beach native, also expressed being overwhelmed by community support for her campaign. While new to city politics, she said she will use her background over the last 20 years in corporate America to prepare herself for what lies ahead and will become more familiar with the city’s staff.
She said her attention to detail will help her pick up new things quickly, and her motivation as a mother of two young girls and three dogs has her invested in the quality of life in the community, with a focus on public safety.
For the past few months, she has filled a vacant position on the city’s Park, Beaches, and Recreation Commission, which has given her an even greater understanding of the need to protect these city amenities.
“It’s been a great learning experience,” she said. “With two young kids, I take advantage of the beach and parks.”
She also said she believes being a CPA will add value to the council to ensure fiscal responsibility and maintain “our well-balanced budget.”
Mayor Will O’Neill said the three are “collaborators who bring their own skills. They’re a great example of a group being bigger than their parts.”
“Sara’s background as a CPA adds greatly to a complex city with a budget nearing half a billion dollars,” he said. “Michelle is a small business entrepreneur whose service on the school board brings immediate collaboration with local agencies.”
The Registrar of Voters said results will be updated daily at 5 p.m., except weekends, until the counting is complete.
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