The Inter-Mountain photo by Taylor McKinnie Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes, center, speaks with the seven members of Elkins City Council gathered in the Phil Gainer Community Center before they certify the results of the 2025 municipal election.

ELKINS — Elkins City Council certified the results of the 2025 municipal election during a special meeting at the Phil Gainer Community Center.

Seven council members joined Elkins City Clerk Sutton Stokes Wednesday afternoon in certifying the election results from the June 10 municipal election. Second Ward council member Michael Hinchman and Fifth Ward council members David Parker and Cody Thompson were not in attendance.

The results were declared by the Canvassing Board on June 16. A total of 334 votes were cast in the election this year. Three “provisional” ballots in the First and Second wards were counted after election day.

“Those were treated as provisional, but not strictly provisional,” Stokes informed council before they certified the votes.

“They were ballots that have been found unsigned by the election workers on election night, but they were still within the precise number of ballots expected to be found in (the polling place) boxes, on (June 16),” Stokes said. “The challenges to those were removed, so those are now included in the copy of the totals distributed in front of you.”

In First Ward, incumbent Rob Chenoweth, who ran unopposed, received 37 votes. One ballot has been counted since election day.

Second Ward incumbent Lisa Severino, who was also unopposed, tallied 37 votes. Two ballots have been counted since election day.

In Third Ward, incumbent Erika Plishka, who ran unopposed as well, garnered 10 votes.

In Fourth Ward, one of the only two contested wards, incumbent Nanci Bross-Fregonara received 131 votes, while her challenger, Jon Clingerman, totaled 35 votes.

“I think it’s really fantastic that the person I was running against had such a positive attitude and was (running) because he believes in Fourth Ward and the city… I think there’s a lot of things happening in the city of Elkins that I’m really excited to be a part of,” Fregonara told The Inter-Mountain on June 10 after the unofficial results were announced.

In Fifth Ward, the other contested ward, challenger Burley Woods garnered 49 votes, defeating incumbent Parker, who tallied 35 votes.

“So the reason I ran was… to make Elkins better. I still want to keep our charm, but I want to push us to the next level. I want to see us succeed. I want to see us move forward, and just not stay stagnant. Because if we stay stagnant, we die,” Woods told The Inter-Mountain on June 10 after the unofficial results were announced.

There was no race for mayor in the 2025 election due to the 2021 charter change, which states that the mayor of Elkins now has a four-year term limit. Marco’s current term, which began July 1, 2023, will not expire until 2027.

A swearing-in ceremony for council will be held on Thursday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Phil Gainer Community Center, with a public reception and light refreshments. Elkins City Council will then hold a regular meeting after the reception at 7 p.m.