Councilman Brian Williams will be East Ridge's next mayor after a breezy victory Tuesday evening over his opponent. Elsewhere in Hamilton County's surrounding cities and municipalities, voters filled in a number of mostly unopposed commission seats.
Unofficial election commission tallies show Williams finished with 4,286 votes compared to 2,333 votes for Jim Bethune, a former councilman and vice mayor who also worked in the auto industry as a general manager. Williams, a business analyst for a software company who was elected to the council in 2016, took an early lead and stayed ahead throughout the night. He said he will be sworn in Dec. 10.
East Ridge mayoral candidate Brian Williams smiles while chatting with supports on election night at Local Coffee of East Ridge on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in East Ridge, Tenn.The four-year term pays $1,000 a month, and Williams will oversee a city of roughly 21,000 that's been vocal in recent months about Interstate 75 Exit 1 development, a proposal to redevelop so-called blighted properties and the police department's decision to unionize and endorse candidates. Williams replaces outgoing Mayor Brent Lambert.
"I'm very honored to have the overwhelming support from our citizens of East Ridge, and I'm looking forward to continuing the progress we've made in our city," Williams said Tuesday.
Also in East Ridge, incumbent Commissioner Jacky Cagle captured 2,348 votes to keep his four-year seat while outgoing Commissioner Esther Helton defeated Democratic challenger Joda Thongnopnua to become the District 30 state representative. Candidate Mike Chauncey was also voted onto the council with 2,083 votes in an otherwise tight race with Andrea Witt, Denny Manning and four others. Meanwhile, Court Clerk Patricia Cassidy bested challenger Wayne Thomas with 4,083 votes compared to his 2,174. That full-time, four-year position pays $56,483 yearly.
Voters also decided commissioners and council members in several municipalities.
In Collegedale, Phil Garver and Ethan White picked up 2,586 votes and 2,442 votes, respectively. They were the only two candidates running for seats on the commission in the roughly 11,000-person municipality. Collegedale's commissioners will later vote among themselves to decide who becomes mayor and vice mayor. Mayors earn $6,000 a year while commissioners, including the vice mayor, receive $5,400.
Similarly, in Ridgeside, there were three candidates running for three commission seats: Darian Collins picked up 256 votes, Kirk Walker 203 and Drue Zaharis 198. The positions do not pay.
Sarah McKenzie ran unopposed as the town of Walden's next alderman, a volunteer position for the town of 2,000. In nearby Signal Mountain, Dan Landrum picked up 2,835 votes, Susannah Murdock received 2,779 and Bill Lusk captured 2,760. Landrum and Murdock will have four-year terms while Lusk has a two-year term.
In Red Bank, Ruth Jeno and Jimmy Mathis battled to become commissioner at large, with Jeno taking the position with 2,627 votes over 1,171. Meanwhile, Terry Pope ran unopposed for District 1 commissioner and Edward LeCompte ran unopposed for District 3 commissioner. They received 3,245 votes and 3,188 votes, respectively. All the positions are four-year terms, and commissioners earn $200 a month.
Lakesite, a city of roughly 2,000, saw Ken Wilkerson and Michelle Wilson make it onto the commission. Their 544 and 432 votes, respectively, beat out Valerie Boddy, who lost by three votes with 429. Similarly, in Soddy-Daisy, a city of roughly 13,000, Rick Nunley and Robert Cothran were voted on as commissioners with 3,246 votes and 2,640 votes, respectively. Bill Layne finished third with 1,373 votes. The term is four years and has no pay.
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347. Follow him on Twitter @zackpeterson918.
Contact staff writer Rosana Hughes at rhughes@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6827. Follow her on Twitter @hughesrosana.
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