Thursday, November 16, 2006

Democrats carry Jefferson County

by Kenneth Lassiter

Monday’s finalization of county election totals by the county commission resulted in little change in the bigger races, but one subdivision board race did come down to a high card draw to break a tie.

The race for the three open spots in the Lake Shore Estates subdivision board of directors came down to the two names on the ballot – Beverly Koerner and Steven Koerner – and one write-in spot that resulted in a four-way tie between Ron Morgan, Herb Buckley, Pat Barnes and Melissa Burgland, all of whom had 3 votes each.

After 74 provisional ballots were accepted plus another 11 votes were counted only partially because of votes ruled ineligible in certain races that each person shouldn’t have voted on, the tie remained, which by statute called for the use of a “game of chance” to determine the winner.

Commissioners David Christy, Lynn Luck and Francis Grollmes joined Lucy Patterson of the county clerk’s office in a draw for high card with each person representing one of the write-in candidates and drawing a card face down from county clerk Linda Buttron. Luck pulled a king, which got Burgland the final spot on the board.

Buttron reported the county had a 57 percent voter turnout for the election, which she found favorable. She said presidential election turnouts in the county have been around 64 percent traditionally so 57 percent for an election driven by U.S. Congress, and state legislative races was good.

The highest precincts in regard to turnout were West Fairview with 62 percent and Kaw with 61 percent. Fifty-nine percent of voters in Sarcoxie Township performed their civic duty. Ballot questions in Delaware, Ozawkie and Union Townships regarding city issues in Valley Falls and McLouth and the Ozawkie Township fire station resulted in middling turnout numbers in those precincts.

In those ballot questions, no change came close to occurring in the winning side. The sales tax question in Valley Falls passed by an official 241 to 171 tally. The question for the lease-purchase of a fire station in Ozawkie Township passed officially by a 409-166 vote and liquor sales will continue in McLouth after an ordinance that would have outlawed future liquor licenses in the city was voted down by an official 282 to 102 count.

In other local races, Bob Tavis, Sharon Tavis and Jerry White finished with 94, 95 and 88 votes, respectively, for election to the Lakeside Village board. In Lakewood Hills, write-in candidate Marilyn Vanderweide beat ballot candidate A.J. Sharp for the third of three board spots with 42 votes compared to 23 for Sharp. Della Thornburgh and Ralph Ray carried the other two spots in Lakewood Hills with totals of 86 and 76 votes, respectively.

Another close race came for the Ozawkie Township clerk position as ballot candidate Dan Rosencutter got a run for his money from write-in candidate Pat Happer. A narrow 240-238 advantage for Rosencutter in the township plus 35 advance votes in Rosencutter’s favor helped result in a final tally of 278-242 for Rosencutter.

No candidates were on the ballot in Rural Township for the clerk position so it went to write-in candidate Delores Robb, who got 52 votes.

In a race for Sarcoxie Township clerk, Republican Robert Lockwood came out ahead of Democrat Jason Dover by an official 259-215 count.

In regard to other finalized totals, Democrat Nancy Boyda carried the county in the race for the U.S. House 2nd District seat, 3,638 to 3,429, over Republican incumbent Jim Ryun. Democrat incumbent Gov. Kathleen Sebelius easily carried the county versus Republican opponent Dr. Jim Barnett, 4,181 to 2,906. Democrat attorney general candidate Paul Morrison earned an advantage in the county over Republican incumbent Phill Kline, 4,093 to 3,052.

Republican Rep. Lee Tafanelli earned another term in the state House of Representatives thanks in part to carrying the county by a 4,675 to 2,495 count over Democrat James Faris.

Commissioners also Monday:

• Heard an update from George Pogge, road and bridge superintendent. Pogge said sufficient materials are on hand for any winter weather the county may receive.

• Signed middle-of-the-month vouchers, tax change orders and utility easements.

• Heard an update from Eileen Filbert, health department director. Filbert reported she has been asked to serve on the Kansas Health Systems Group funded by the Kansas Health Foundation.

• Met in executive session with Filbert and county counselor Jan Hayes for 15 minutes to discuss matters of non-elected personnel. Eloise Tichenor, planning and zoning director, entered the executive session as requested during the middle of the session.

• Heard an update from extension agents Cindy Williams and David Hallauer. They discussed recent corn test plot results and 4-H events.

• Heard an update from Kathy Wagner, appraiser.

• Approved a resolution authorizing the commission to sign the deed for the sale of five acres of the industrial park property in rural Meriden for $15,000.

• Met with Susan Newell, 911 director, and Hayes in executive session for 35 minutes to discuss matters of non-elected personnel and attorney-client privilege.

• Met with Mark Richards, auxiliary services director, and Hayes in executive session for five minutes to discuss matters of attorney-client privilege.

• Met with Hayes, county counselor Mike Hayes, Undersheriff Jeff Herrig and corrections officers Beulah Sloniger and Kendra Kennedy in executive session for 15 minutes to discuss matters of non-elected personnel.

• Met with James Tweed and Tani Ruff of the ambulance service department and both Mike and Jan Hayes in executive session for 60 minutes to discuss matters of attorney-client privilege.

• Conducted a department head meeting in which Mike and Jan Hayes addressed the procedures for making contact with them for issues involving the county counselor.

• Approved the offering of a voluntary vision insurance plan through VSP for employees.