SOMERS POINT — Schoolteacher Kim O’Brien defeated college professor Levi Fox to secure the Democratic nomination for the Ward I seat on City Council.
O’Brien garnered 187 votes, or 61.7 percent, to Fox’s 116, or 38.28 percent, according to unofficial results from the primary election June 2.
She will face Rick DePamphilis III, who has served on City Council in both Somers Point and as mayor in Linwood for many years. DePamphilis was unopposed for the nomination.
O’Brien, 53, who is president of the Somers Point Democratic Club, also has experience running for office, having unsuccessfully challenged for a seat on the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners in 2023 and 2024.
The longtime educator and community service volunteer is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University Teachers College.
She spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Russia teaching English. After returning, she taught in the New York City School District for two years before joining the Absecon School District in 2000. Since 2007, O’Brien has worked in the Somers Point School District teaching Spanish and ESL.
O’Brien is co-president of the Somers Point Education Association after spending 15 years as the public relations chair. In her spare time, O’Brien is a member of the Somers Point Green Team and volunteers her time for many community events.
DePamphilis was appointed in February 2022. He and his wife, Sally, have four children and numerous grandchildren.
DePamphilis was a police officer and beach patrol chief in Longport as well as a security shift manager at Caesars Atlantic City. He was mayor of Linwood for 18 years, during which time he served on the Planning Board and Board of School Estimate.
He also was a coach and president of several youth sports associations, including three seasons as coach of Somers Point Sharks pee wee football team.
Meanwhile, Democrat Steven Lamond was unchallenged for the nomination in Ward II. He will face Jack Shields in the general election Nov. 3. Shields also was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
He said he decided to seek election due to the current council’s lack of adequate response to questions from the public.
Lamond and his wife, Linda, moved to the city seven years ago from Merchantville, Camden County. They raised four children in Mt. Holly and Audubon, and now are grandparents of five granddaughters.
According to his website, Lamond wants to promote transparency and trust in city government, and believes he has the skills to do so.
The U.S. Air Force veteran cites year of experience on issues that are directly applicable to small-town government, such as devising and evaluating cost estimates, developing business cases to justify costs, tracking project costs and ensuring budgets are met and communicating to stakeholders in a manner that is clear, concise and respectful.
Lamond worked in civilian technical roles on Department of Defense-related projects then worked as a consulting database programmer for SmithKline Beecham and Merck.
Shields was appointed Jan. 22 to replace Charlie Haberkorn, who resigned from City Council with a year left on his term.
The 61-year-old is deputy coordinator of the city Office of Emergency Management and a member of the Environmental Commission and Green Team. He was a member of the Mainland Regional High School Board of Education.
Shields and his wife, Donna, relocated to Somers Point in 2017 after raising their two sons in northeast Philadelphia, where he was a member of the Republican Committee, Ward 31, for 35 years.
He coached Little League for 10 years and was vice president of Roman Catholic High School Fathers Club for four years.
Shields worked for the Philadelphia Parking Authority for 35 years and now works part time at Ace Hardware in Somers Point.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
