Election Roundup

Phil Campbell

Mays wins big in mayor's race

Mayor Jerry Mays received an overwhelming endorsement from Phil Campbell residents Tuesday to easily win re-election.

Mays got 81 of the 89 votes cast Tuesday to run away from challenger Kenneth Lynn.

"I hope to continue the growth that we have started over the past four years," Mays said.

Included in the growth, he said, is the construction of a storm shelter and providing an additional $350,000 for the fire department.

In the only council race on Tuesday's ballot, Dewey Cooper defeated Elvis Engle, 63-24.

VINA

Franklin to keep working for city

D.W. Franklin's strategy for another term as Vina's mayor is not complex.

"We're just going to try to keep working and keep going," Franklin said Tuesday night after getting 72 percent of the vote in his re-election campaign.

Franklin scored a 49-vote win over challenger, J.F. Scott, 80-31.

Franklin said he will focus immediately on working on the town's new industrial park.

Scott said his opponent had put up three welcome signs during his seven years in office and "maybe he'll add more of those."

In the only council race on the ballot, Bill Moomaw received 70 percent of the vote in a 77-33 win over Carol Davis.

COURTLAND

Letson wins fifth mayoral term

The voters of Courtland showed their overwhelming support for incumbent Mayor Ted Letson on Tuesday as he was elected to his fifth term in office.

Letson picked up 72.5 percent of the vote to top challenger Franklin Beck. Letson finished with 208 of the 287 votes.

Three of the four council districts were decided Tuesday, while there will be a runoff for the fourth spot.

Incumbent District 5 Councilman Clarence Logston was unopposed.

Stacy Hughes and Gil Jaggers will face off in the Oct. 7 runoff to decide the District 3 council race. Jaggers held a 26-23 lead over Hughes, while Dan Claborn got 20 votes.

In the closest race of the day, Edna Redd won the District 1 council seat by one vote over Bobby Smith, 17-16.

In District 2, Laura Terry won 48-20 over Lamar Terry, while Jimmy Williams defeated Karen Hitt for the District 4 seat. Williams, 37-17.

TOWN CREEK

Parker voted into mayor's seat

Mike Parker figures he made some friends along the way during his 25-year career as an employee in the Town Creek Water and Sewer Department.

Those friends came out in force Tuesday to vote him into the mayor's office.

Parker unseated four-term mayor Irvin Nichols, scoring a surprisingly easy win in a three-candidate race. Parker got 193 of the 306 votes cast in the race. Nichols was second at 69 and David Letson had 44.

"After working in the city for 25 years, I know everyone in town, and they know me," said Parker, 45. "I've always tried to treat everyone right, and I think this vote shows that the people appreciate that."

Parker took a leave of absence from the job in order to campaign for the mayor's office. He will retire in October before taking office.

"Irvin is a good fellow to work for and a good man," Parker said.

"He has done a good job as mayor. Me running is nothing personal against him. This is a lifelong dream for me."

Parker said he wants to finish the town library and complete some of the projects that have been started by the town's beautification committee.

In the District 5 council race, Robert Bradford Sr. defeated Charles Hamby, 38-12.

HODGES

Crouch back for sixth term

Hodges Mayor Ed Crouch will be back for a sixth term in that role after carding a one-vote win in Tuesday's election.

He defeated Nick Howard, 58-57.

Three of the six contested elections were decided by a single vote, while another was decided by two votes and another by four votes. Vote totals won't be official until next week.

Crouch said his goal is to finish some of the projects he and the council have started.

"We've got to find a good source of income for the town for the future," he said.

Place 1 winner Samantha Gann and Place 2 winner Melissa McHenry won their races by a single vote.

Crouch said this is the closest election he's seen, and it indicates the need for a consensus on the council.

"The members on both sides need to work together for things to fall in place," he said.

Place 3 winner was Betty Gober by two votes (58-56). In Place 4, the winner was James Isom by eight votes (61-53), and the Place 5 seat went to Ronald Holland (59-55).