Movement is slow in small city races

Local News

July 16, 2008

Only Science Hill has seen many file for re-election

By BILL MARDIS, Editor Emeritus The Commonwealth Journal Wed Jul 16, 2008, 09:23 PM EDT

Filings for small cities governmental positions and school board seats are moving at a snail’s pace with one exception.

The entire sitting city commission at Science Hill has filed for reelection. David F. Phelps, Junior Dick, Terry Wesley and Mike Hall filed between July 4 and July 9, more than a month ahead of the 4 p.m. August 12 deadline for the November 4 general election.

Phillip Wilson also has filed for reelection to the Division 5 seat on the Pulaski County Board of Education; Alton Fulcher Jr., a political newcomer, has filed for a seat on the Eubank City Commission; and Jim Holbert of London has filed as an independent candidate for U.S. representative from the 5th Congressional District. Hal Rogers of Somerset has held the 5th District post for 28 years and is trying for 30. Rogers had to meet a January 29 filing deadline.

That’s it, as of Wednesday morning. Otherwise, except for constant television bombardment of a national presidential election, summer doldrums hang over the local political scene.

No doubt, there will be a flurry of filings within the three weeks or so before August 12. In addition to school board candidates in all three local districts, there likely will be a host of municipal candidates.

Fulcher has tossed his hat in the ring at Eubank, and incumbent commissioners – Curtis G. Todd, Lee Coffee, Ken Nothstein and Edward Hicks – are expected to file for reelection in that 6th-class city.

Burnside and Ferguson each will elect or reelect six council members and it would be unusual if the seats are not contested.

Incumbent Burnside councilors are Jim Rasnick, Becky Huff, David Brummett, Dic Gaskin, Brian Watson and Jimmy Gibson. The top six vote-getters among Burnside candidates in the general election will win places around the council table. Chuck Fourman is mayor and has two years remaining in his current term.

Members of Ferguson City Council are Joni King, Tony Deprato, Linda Hughes, Wanda Hunt, Sue Poynter and Janie Ping. The top six vote-getters among council candidates will win seats on the Ferguson governing board. Mayor Allen Dobbs has two years remaining in his current term.

In addition to Wilson’s Division 5 seat on the Pulaski County Board of Education, seats currently held by Allen Larkin, Division 1, and Betty Richards, Division 2, are up for election or reelection. Vice-chairman Bill White, Division 4, and member Cindy Price, Division 3, have time remaining in their current terms.

Two seats on the Science Hill Board of Education will be filled in November. Jeff Leigh’s term will expire at the end of this year and the seat formerly held by Ginger Fitzgerald, who resigned, is vacant. Board members with time remaining in their terms are chairman Mike Elliott, vice-chairman Bruce Phelps and David Sayers Jr.

Somerset City Council elections are already set by a January 29 filing deadline and a May 20 primary in four wards. All 12 sitting councilors in Somerset have opposition in November. The lineup:

• Incumbent Jim Rutherford will square off against former councilor David Burdine in Ward 1.

• Incumbent Linda Stringer will face former councilor Earl Owens in Ward 2.

• Incumbent Jimmy Eastham will be challenged by former councilor Jerry Wheeldon in Ward 3.

• Incumbent Stephen B. Kelley Jr. goes against Scott Simpson in Ward 4.

• Incumbent Jerry Girdler will face off against Bill Meece in Ward 5.

• Incumbent David Childers will run against Mike New, a former Pulaski County magistrate and son of the late council member Charlie New, in Ward 6.

• Incumbent Donna Hunley will be challenged by Lonnie Hurst in Ward 7.

• Incumbent John Ricky Minton is opposed by David Blevins in Ward 8.

• Incumbent Jim Mitchell has Michael McWilliams as an opponent in Ward 9.

• Incumbent Pat Bourne will be challenged by Jeff Sims in Ward 10.

• Incumbent Jerry Burnett will run against David Turner in Ward 11.

• Incumbent Tim Rutherford will face Tom Eastham in Ward 12.

Somerset city council races are nonpartisan and citywide. Eligible voters in the city may vote for a candidate in each of the 12 wards. Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler is in the middle of his first four-year term and has two years remaining.

Local elections no doubt will be overshadowed by the most contentious presidential race in years between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Keith Russell Judd is a write-in candidate for president, and there may be names of already vanquished presidential candidates on the November ballot who have not officially withdrawn. Presidential contests normally attract a heavy turnout at the polls.

Of particular interest locally is a nonpartisan election to fill the seat of retiring Chief Justice Joseph E. Lambert in the 27-county 3rd Supreme Court District. Former circuit judge Daniel J. Venters and Family Court Judge Walter Maguire, both from Somerset, have indicated they will seek the 3rd District seat. As of Wednesday, only Leonard Brashear of Hyden had filed.

Also, veteran U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican, faces a challenge from Democrat Bruce Lunsford in a statewide election with national implications.

State Sen. Vernie McGaha, representing the 15th Senatorial District, and state representatives Jimmy Higdon, 24th Legislative District; Ken Upchurch, 52nd Legislative District; Danny R. Ford, 80th Legislative District; Jeffrey H. Hoover, 83rd Legislative District; and Tommy Turner, 85th Legislative District, all are unopposed and their names will be on the November general election ballot for complimentary votes. Pulaski County is in the 15th Senatorial District, and Pulaski County is divided among the five legislative districts.

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