Hicks wins re-election

HISD voters oust two incumbents

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Clarendon Mayor Larry Hicks narrowly won re-election Saturday, beating Alderman Tommy Hill by a 20-vote margin, 244-224; and two longtime incumbents on the Hedley school board were defeated.

A total of 468 voters cast ballots in the city election, representing a 43 percent turnout.

Sandy Skelton was the top vote getter among candidates for two positions on the Board of Aldermen with 329 votes. Alderman Debbie Roberts was elected to a full term with 231 votes, and also running were former alderman Janice Knorpp, 187, and Trevor Leeper, 99.

Challenger Aaron Harper led all candidates with 108 votes in the six person race for two seats on the Hedley ISD Board of Trustees, and former trustee Lana Ritchie was also elected with 82 votes. Longtime trustees James E. Potts and Bonnie Brown lost their positions with 53 and 52 votes each, and also running were Kevin Smith, 29, and Michelle McCann, 9.

HISD had a total of 170 voters, representing a 41.1 percent turnout.

In Howardwick, Mike Rowland was elected mayor with 57 votes over David Cafferatta with 29. Jim Cockerham and Gail Leathers were elected to two-year terms on the Board of Aldermen with 69 and 54 votes each, defeating William R. Jordan, 41. Gene Rogers and Cory Longan were elected to one-year terms on the board with 61 and 52 votes, defeating H.L. “Buster” Baird, 34, and Sandy Sanders, 18.

Howardwick had a 38.6 percent turnout with 86 people casting ballots.

Challenger Chuck Robertson was the top vote getter in the race for three positions on the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees with 455 votes, and incumbents Jim Shelton and Robin Ellis were re-elected with 444 and 376 votes respectively. Also running was Linda Rowland, 153.

Voter turnout for Clarendon ISD was 26.5 percent with 522 people voting.