New Lexington-Richland 5 trustees to be sworn in

The Irmo-Chapin school board will have a much different make-up the next time it meets.

Three newcomers – Catherine Huddle, Rebecca Blackburn Hines and Matt Hogan – are expected to be sworn in Monday. They’ll replace Michael Cates and Robert Gantt, who lost their re-election bids, as well as Beth Hutchison, who didn’t seek re-election.

Huddle handily took the top spot in last week’s races for two Lexington County seats on the board, garnering 13,315 votes and winning 15 of 18 precincts. Hines finished second with 10,958. April Alsup, Cates and JJ Lindler trailed with 8,282, 5,677 and 3,937, respectively.

In Richland County, Hogan defeated Gantt, the board’s longest-serving member,10,872 to 9,139. Jane Westbury finished third with 4,362.

Monday’s meeting will be held at 7 pm at Dutch Fork Midde School.