Published: June 10, 2009 09:04 pm      

Police chief unseats mayor in Iaeger race

Pre-canvassing totals are in for Matoaka, Bramwell, Oakvale

IAEGER — A police chief in a small McDowell County town has unseated an incumbent mayor, according to unofficial election returns.

Iaeger Police Chief Joe Ford defeated incumbent Iaeger Mayor James C. Stafford in Tuesday’s mayoral contest. Ford led with 95 votes followed by 66 for Stafford.

Ruby Fanning, the town’s incumbent recorder, ran unopposed and won with 135 votes.

In the town council race, eight candidates were vying for five seats in Iaeger. The apparent winners were Delbert Kiser, 112; Danny Kennedy, 103; Cleda Carter, 88; Jimmy “Chicago Jim” Cline, 85; and Eugene Shaw, 84. Incumbent Walt Parker trailed with 80 votes; incumbent Wilbert Marcum, 60, and write-in candidate Doug Church, 33.

The votes will be canvassed and certified on Monday.

The final results for the town of Matoaka in Mercer County were released Wednesday morning, and there was a tie in the mayoral contest.

In the mayoral race, Todd Colonna and Jack Coburn were both tied at 38 votes a piece. Alan Graham received 2 votes, and Randy Radatz and Richard Wall both received 0 votes in the unofficial returns for the mayoral race.

The votes will be canvassed on Monday. Town officials won’t know who the winner of the mayoral race is until that time. A town spokeswoman said she didn’t know what would happen if the canvassing also ends with a tie.

In the race for town recorder, Lamar Lancaster was the apparent winner with 47 votes followed by 32 for Michelle Lyons.

In the town council race, the apparent winners were Roby Shrewbury, 49; Doug Hawkes, 51; Frank Caruso, 48; Kelly Colonna, 42 and Deborah Vickers, 40. Three write-in candidates followed with Marsha Howell, 37; Betty Lancaster, 13 and Jami Clark, 31.

In the town of Bramwell, incumbent Mayor Louise Stoker ran unopposed for re-election and won with 62 votes.

“I’m very pleased at the confidence that was expressed in the job I’ve done for the past two years, and I look forward to working to do everything I can for our hometown of Bramwell,” Stoker said Wednesday morning.

In the recorder contest, Carolyn Clark ran unopposed and won with 58 vote.

In the town council race, six candidates were vying for five council seats. The apparent winners in unofficial returns were Edris Miller, 48, Kelly Murphy Eller 53, Joe Vinciguerra 41, Joe Miller 48 and Jeff Vance, 41. Bill Keller followed with 35 votes.

In the town of Oakvale, incumbent Mayor Mary Nelson ran unopposed and won with 10 votes.

In the town council race, the winners were Wallace “Jack “Thomas, 16; Randolph Honaker, 11; Ronald Rumley, 10; Robert “Bobby” Weatherly, 14; and write-in candidate Paula Akers, 8.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com