Three retain city council seats
Published 8:21 am Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Newcomer Kline gets elected
There will be one new member of the Ironton City Council.
With Tuesday night’s unofficial results, Nate Kline came in second for most votes with 1,435.
Kline, who teaches personal finance/business in Portsmouth schools, said he was humbled by winning on his first try.
“I’m extremely happy. I’m humbled by all the support,” he said. “There were a lot of experienced candidates running, so it was an honor.”
He said that as a council member, he would like to accomplish trying to set tangible financial goals for the city and having projections on how the city would meet those goals.
“I want to look to the future and not live with a paycheck to paycheck mentality where we are putting Band Aids on everything,” Kline said, adding he would like to be on the council’s strategic planning committee and be a part of economic and neighborhood redevelopment in Ironton.
Three incumbents retained their seats.
The top vote getter was Vice Mayor Craig Harvey, who was voted to a second term with 1,517. He said, as a matter of tradition, he doesn’t monitor election results and didn’t know he had won until he got a call from Kline congratulating him.
“I’m honored and really appreciative of people in Ironton wanting me to serve them for four more years,” he said. He will remain vice mayor since he got them most votes. “I’m glad to serve in whatever capacity they’ll have me in.”
Bob Cleary, who has spent 30 years in Ironton office, 24 on council with 12 years as vice mayor and six years as mayor, got 1,255 votes.
“I’m really happy. We almost got the whole team back together,” he said. “We’ve had a pretty good group for the past couple of years and I want to be part of it. I got my wish and I am excited about it.”
He said he was happy to see Kline elected to council.
“It’s good to have new blood, he seems like he has some good ideas,” he said.
Beth Rist came in fourth with 1,187 votes, for a third term on council.
“I’m very happy,” she said, adding she was a little shocked. Since I’m not a very good public speaker, so obviously (The Tribune’s) forum was a concern of mine. But I think it came down to people who know me and trust me and I’m very pleased.”
She said she was happy to have the same people on council.
“I think we work very well together. We may have differences of opinions, but that’s what it is all about, to sit down and consider the situation and deal with issue as it comes about.”
Jim Tordiff, who was appointed to the seat in April after the death of Dave Frazer, who passed away in March, got 1,167 votes. First-time candidates, Brad Lowe and Shala Black, got 1,133 and 978 respectively. Charley Haney took 561 votes.
With council member Kevin Waldo apparently winning the race for Ironton Municipal judge, he will have to resign from council and the council will have to once again pick a new member to fill his two year unexpired term.
The council has 30 days to appoint someone when there is a vacancy. They will have 30 days from when Waldo takes the judge’s oath of office.
The council generally picks someone from the ranks of within those who ran in the most recent election.
The city council will have an organizational meeting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1.
Provisional votes will be counted within 10 days of the election and the Lawrence County Board of Elections will certify the results of the election.