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Five Republican novices swept the open Oakmont Council seats in Tuesday's election.

Mayor Robert Fescemyer was the only Democrat to win, beating challenger Patrick Dolan, 731 votes to 541, according to unofficial election results.

The four available four-year council seats went to Republican newcomers Tim Milberger with 771 votes; Laurie Saxon, 689; Rowland Scott, 675; and Mary "Kitty" Vagley, 725.

The Democrats they defeated were incumbents Michael Federici, 610 votes; and Dru Taliaferro, 496; as well as newcomers Ellen "Jonnie" Viakley, 456; and Leonard Richards, 389.

The two-year council seat went to Republican John Donovan, who beat Sophia Facaros, 642 votes to 596. Facaros, who was appointed to the seat after former Councilwoman Cheryl Zentgraf resigned in August, will remain on council until January.

Saxon, vice chairwoman of the borough's Republican Party, said the GOP sweep was somewhat surprising.

"It was the outcome we were certainly hoping for, but I was very surprised, especially that we won the two-year seat," she said.

Four years after borough residents voted for change with a new Democratic mayor and two new Democratic councilman in Federici and Taliaferro, Saxon thinks voters wanted change again.

"I think the people were tired of things not getting done," Saxon said.

Saxon said council meetings have been overly long and unproductive: "It seemed they just talked in circles."

Federici, the council president, and Fescemyer did not return calls for comment late Tuesday.

Saxon said she and her Republican counterparts have no particular agenda. She also said partisanship wouldn't play a major role in council decisions.

"We try not to make things partisan," she said. "We're a small town. We go to church together, shop together. A good many of us went to high school together."

"It wasn't personal," Saxon said. "We heard from the citizens loud and clear they wanted some things done.

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