Mississippi County election: Charleston voters overwhelmingly approve new tourism tax

Staff report

news@standard-democrat.com

CHARLESTON -- Charleston voters approved a tourism tax in the city in Tuesday's election.

The 3 percent tax on each room occupied at local hotels and motels in the city was approved with 392 votes in favor of the tax and 60 votes against it. Proceeds from the tax will be used to promote tourism.

In the race for a three-year term on the Charleston City Council, voters picked incumbent Jack Feezor over challenger Patrick Farmer 244-204.

In East Prairie, write-in votes decided who will fill a two-year term as Ward 2 alderman as there were no candidates listed on the ballot for the full two-year term.

Alex Lee, the incumbent in the race, received the most votes with 20.

The other write-ins were: Pam Taylor, 16; Penny Green, 1; Robert Moore, 3; John Gifford, 1; Rick Garza, 1; David Aters, 1; and Steve Myers, 1.

Unopposed on the ballot for two-year terms, incumbent Karen Coffer received 71 in Ward 1 while Clinton Wolford got 98 in Ward 3.

Jennifer Grissom brought in 75 votes in her unopposed run for a one-year unexpired term as Ward 2 alderman.

And in the race for the East Prairie school board, the three winners were David Dahlbeck, who brought in 342 votes, Donna Turnbo-Smith with 305 and Tim Wagner with 262 votes.

Also running for the three-year terms were: Dwight C. White, 221; Cyndi Garner Norton, 111; David Aters, 88; Steve Myers, 179; Cindy Bright, 219 and Paul Pfeifer, with 112 votes.

In other election results from Mississippi County:

* In Wyatt, Mitch Pullen received the most votes among the write-in candidates for another term as mayor with 34.

Also receiving votes were Kevin Fitzgerald, 3; Clifton Cossey Jr., 2; William Suggs, 1; Kenneth Gibson, 2; Joey Cross, 1; and Gary Graham, 1.

There were no candidates listed on the ballot.

In the other Wyatt write-in race with no candidates filed to appear on the ballot, which was for a full term of office representing Ward 1, Billy Suggs received the most votes, 16.

Other write-in candidates with votes were: Joey Cross, 10; Linda Sparks, 2; Faye Franklin, 3; and Caleb Johnson, 1.

Wyatt's Ward 2 had a race with a candidate appearing on the ballot, Wanda Faye Franklin, but also a declared write-in candidate, Steven Caleb Johnson. Each received 9 votes.

* In Bertrand's race for a two-year term as Ward 1 alderman, James McCants, with 15 votes, was picked over Bruce Groves, who received 5 votes.

Teresa Stevens, unopposed in her run for a two-year term as Bertrand's Ward 2 alderman, received 18 votes.

* Anniston voters cast 9 for Rodney Dover in his unopposed bid for a two-year term as Ward 1 alderman and marked 7 ballots for Jordan Reno who was the sole candidate in Ward 2 for a two-year term.

* Wilson City voters picked Charlene Reed with 7 votes, Bernice Frazier with 6 votes and Theoda Ross Jr., also with 6, to serve as trustees for two-year terms.

Also listed on the ballot was Stephanie Banks with 0 votes.

* Voters in the portion the Kelly school district which extends into Mississippi County cast votes as follows in the race to serve one of the three three-year terms: Greg Birk, Tammy Wadlington and Neal LeDure each received 3 votes while Paul Ruff, Bobby Sides and Amy Tackett did not receive any.

Mississippi County Clerk Junior DeLay described the 15 percent voter turnout as "low."