Robin Mullett, a self-styled “PTA” mom and volunteer handily won the special election Saturday for the District 9 seat on the St. Tammany School Board.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, unofficial results show that Mullett garnered 653 votes, or 85 percent as compared to her opponent, former justice of the peace, Randy Caire who got 116 votes or 15 percent.

“I was so honored,” Mullett said. “But I was also shocked at how big it was. I did not think I would get so many votes.” Mullett will take over the District 9 seat from Mike Gambrell who resigned recently due to conflicts with his work. The board had appointed Gambrell after former District 9 representative Carmen Johnson resigned earlier this year, also due to conflicts with her work. District 9 covers the northern part of Slidell and Pearl River. There are only two schools in District 9, Clearwood Junior High and Whispering Forest Elementary.

Mullett said she has spent a lot of time volunteering in the parish’s public schools because of her three children. She said she has 20 years of being on the PTA and also as a paraprofessional in the classroom. In fact, she credits other PTA moms with her victory.

“They are the real worker bees in the schools, and they worked hard to help me,” Mullett said.

As for her work on the school board, Mullett said there is a learning curve she will have to address.

“I’m excited and ready to work, but I think I need to get in there and learn more,” Mullett said. “I’ll just keep my mouth shut for now and learn.”

The school board seat was not the only issue on Saturday’s ballot. Slidell voters agreed to let the city issue $10 million in general obligation bonds that will go to fixing streets and the drainage system in the city. The gap between both sides was not that big. Voters voting for the bond issues were 439 or 56 percent, while those opposed to the bonds was 342 votes or 44 percent. Mayor Ben Morris said the bonds will not raise anybody’s taxes and will be paid from with the ad valorem or property taxes. The city just finished paying off other bonds, and the taxes used to pay off these bonds will still be the same.

Abita Springs voters agreed to use 3 mills of property taxes to pay for new lighting and park maintenance. The yeas cast 95 votes or 76 percent, while the nays lost with only 30 votes or 24 percent.

Voters in Fire District 5 also agreed to use 5 mills for new equipment. Those in favor were 208 votes or 65 percent of the vote cast, while those against the millage were 111 or 35 percent.

Eighty percent of the voters in Recreation District 14 voted for a $3.3 million bond issue that will go to construction of buildings in the recreation parks with 183 votes. There were 45 votes or 20 percent against the bond issue.

Finally, Drainage District 4 got it renewal of maintenance and operating tax with 87 voters, or 90 percent saying yes, while 8 voters or 10 percent said they did not want the tax renewed.