Chairman runoff

The Cullman Times

June 04, 2008 12:59 am

— By David Lazenby
and Brittany Woodby
editor@cullmantimes.com
A three-way race for the Republican’s Cullman County Commission chairman nomination decided in Tuesday’s primary election was close enough to warrant a run-off race that will be held July 15.
Incumbent Chairman Wiley Kitchens and James Graves — who neither got 50.5 percent of the votes cast — will square off in next month in a runoff election.
The winner of that race will face Democrat nominee Pete Tucker in a Nov. 4 general election.
Kitchens led Graves — 2,059 votes to Graves’ 1,605 — grabbing more than 43 percent of votes. Graves received approximately one-third of votes.
While waiting for the results at the Cullman Civic Center, Kitchens said, he wasn’t nervous.
“You just take it like it is and hope for the best,” he said.
Graves said he will continue to campaign, focusing more on specific issues important to voters.
The biggest issue, he believes is county water.
Graves contends the best long-term alternative water source is not the Tennessee River but the creation of a dam on Duck River. He said the issue also affects Cullman city water customers.
“They have as big of a dog in this fight as anyone, because if the county goes with the 31-mile water line and the county goes separate from the city, city water rates are going to go up because they’re going to lose 14,000 customers and they have to compensate for that kind of income.”
Commission candidate Stanley Yarbrough, said it was a relief to watch the election end. “Any time towards the end is always a relief.” Yarbrough declined to comment on who he would support in the runoff.
In other races, Cullman County District Court Judge Greg Nicholas was elected to his second term by a vote of 66 percent over Melvin Hastings. Nicholas, who took office in 2006 after being appointed to fill the seat vacated by Terri Willingham Thomas, said he is looking forward to another term on the bench.
“Well, I’m relieved, I’m elated,” Nicholas said. “This is my first campaign, so, as a candidate so it is good to have so many friends here and my family is here, it’s a good night.”
Nicholas said he and Cullman County District Court Judge Kim Chaney will continue working to improve their practice.
“You know I’ve been on the bench about a year and a half, and there’s always something we’re looking at changing,” Nicholas said. “But Judge Chaney and I are always sitting down and evaluating what we do to make sure what we do is the best practice.”
In the school board race, Incumbent Republican county school board president and district 3 seat member Steve Freeman will go up against Democrat Cindy Angle in the general school board election. Freeman beat fellow Republicans Chris Cobb and Howard Rodgers with 502 votes, or 57.76 percent. Cobb received 301 votes while Rodgers took 66.
District 1 incumbent school board member Danny Alldredge was re-elected to another four-year term. Alldredge beat Republicans Ron Stone and Matthew Wood with 54.92 percent of votes.
“I’m thankful for those who supported me, my church, my family, my community,” Alldredge said. “We have lots of projects at Holly Pond I‘d like to see completed. We started the new Middle School and are remodeling the old elementary school. Holly Pond is doing well. Our grades are up, our scores are up in reading and I’m thankful for that.”
Allredge said he is pleased Freeman won the primary and said he would not mind if the board’s makeup stays the same for the next four years.
“I’d like to see the board stay like it is. ... Our board works well together. This is a congenial board and we work well together. Our main focus is the children of Cullman County.”
District 3 candidate Democrat Cindy Angle was also present at the Cullman Civic Center Tuesday night to watch the results come in.
“I’m looking forward to getting around to all the communities and working as hard as I can,” she said.
Angle will go against Freeman in the general election.
Freeman was not available for comment by press time.
Several of those waiting for election results at the Civic Center Tuesday remarked on the election’s low turnout.
“It could have been better,” said Cullman Republican Chairperson Joyce West.
“Folks just stayed home,” said West Point Mayor Kenneth Kilgo who added about the turnout was about one-fourth the usual number of voters.
“You didn’t have many on the ballot locally,” was the explanation offered by Tucker. West said she believes the election was not advertised well enough.
“I’m disappointed,” said Graves. “It looks like we may not even get 20 percent of the electorates.”
“I wish there was a higher turnout,” said Democrat Rep. Jeremy Oden who added the Legislature may consider joining the presidential and state primaries to increase voter participation.
Cullman County Probate Judge Leah Patterson-Lust, said overall Tuesday’s election went well despite one early glitch that occurred when power was out at one of the precincts.
“Joppa didn’t have electricity this morning,” she said. “That’s a little alarming when first thing off the bat one of your polling places doesn’t have electricity.”