Barton, Hall win in Calhoun

The Calhoun City Council post 3 position will change hands in January. Matt Barton took the seat from incumbent Ray Denmon with 398 votes or 54.51 percent to Denmon’s 333 votes or 45.31 percent.

The 37-year-old Barton was smiling and elated after the win. "In the future when Calhoun has its growth, I think I have a better idea on how it will grow," said Matt Barton.

The most important issue that Barton thinks the Calhoun City Council should address is taxes.

"I’m an advocate of low taxes," said Barton. "These are hard times and we need to keep taxes as low as possible."

Two candidates contended for the post 3 seat on the school board. On the ballot was incumbent Eddie Hall and challenger Chuck Faulkner.

Hall will remain on board, and won with 450 votes, or 62.85-percent to Faulkner’s 265 votes, or 37.01-percent.

"I wasn’t worried, and anytime you have some opposition you can be worried," said Hall.

"I spent a lot of time on the campaign trail, and we had a nice clean race," added Hall.

"My definition of what my qualifications are is first and foremost I’m a parent who’s interested in the schools that my children attend," said Eddie Hall.

Running uncontested for Calhoun School Board post 1 seat was Amy Atkinson.

"If Lord’s willing I’ll serve 16 years on this board," she said.

Atkinson has served on the Calhoun School Board for 12 years.

"I’m so glad not to get out and campaign," said Atkinson.

"Our football field was one high spot this year, and looking at improving our facilities and some of those things are things I’m looking at being a part of," she added.

The other uncontested spaces that will be filled are Calhoun School Board post 2, filled by Rhoda Washington and Calhoun City Council post 4 by David Hammond.

A total of 740 Calhoun residents cast ballots Tuesday, bringing the total of registered voters to 13 percent, elections officials reported.

Resaca voters turned out to continue changing their town council

Charles Austin took post three, with 80 votes, or 72.07 percent. Incumbent Alex Rosier, Jr. took seven votes, or 6.31 percent and Jerry H. Veasey had 24 votes or 21.62 percent.

"I had a lot of people helping me, I know that," said Austin. "They trust me and I’ll try to do the best job I can."

In post four, Mitch Reed bested Johnny Brown with 90 votes, or 81.82 percent. Brown, a former city council member, garnered 20 votes, or 18.18 percent. Incumbent Julia Baker chose not to run for reelection this year.

"It hasn’t sunk in yet," said Reed, who said he spent election day walking up Walker Street with a campaign sign. "Win or lose, I’ve met a lot of good people," he said.

Resaca has 276 registered voters and 40.58 percent, or 112 turned out to cast their ballots.

One run-off election will be needed in Fairmount. In the election for Post One, none of the three candidates received the 50 percent plus one vote needed to claim the win.

Max Mulkey had the majority of votes with 54 or 46.55 percent. He’ll face Teru "Teddy" Lapaquette who received 40 votes, or 34.48 percent. Jerry Jeffery Crook received 22 votes, or 18.97 percent.

"It would have been nice to have a decision, either yay or nay," said Lapaquette. She said she looked forward to campaigning between now and the Dec. 1 run-off. "Maybe this will generate interest in the election," she said.

Jim Dodd ran unopposed for city council post three.

Fairmount had a 30.57 percent turnout rate, with 118 out of 386 registered voters casting ballots.