By CHRIS MORRIS
The Georgetown Town Board will have a new look beginning Jan. 1, while the Greenville Town Board remained intact following Tuesday’s election.
Georgetown’s board will be made up of all Democrats — Mike Mills, Karla Perkins, Aaron Striegel, Everett Pullen and Billy Stewart.
In Greenville, Republican’s Talbotte Richardson, Randal Jones and Democrat Hanzel Barclay held on to their seats.
Georgetown Town Board
The two Republican incumbents in Tuesday’s election were handily defeated.
Town Board President Gary Smith lost to Striegel 313 votes to 144, while Dean Hammersmith finished a distant third in the at-large race to Perkins and Mills, who were both elected. In District 2, Pullen defeated Charlotte Bass 302 to 167. Stewart ran unopposed.
In the at-large race, Perkins received 310 votes, Mills 308 and Hammersmith 198.
“It’s just one of those things that happens,” said Smith. “Georgetown generally wants change every four years. I hope they are happy with what they voted for. Life shall go on.”
The ongoing debate over a location for a sewer plant, the money already spent to purchase ground, engineering costs for that plant and overall spending practices of the current board were the big reasons for the Democrat sweep, Striegel said.
“I think people were fed up,” said Striegel — a high school counselor at Trinity High School in Louisville who collected 65 percent of the vote. “I think there are three reasons why people voted for me. They see me as being fiscally responsible, educated and experienced in setting short and long-term goals. I will see things through.”
Striegel said the present board failed in doing its homework. He points to the proposed 23-acre site for the sewer plant. He said the town has spent $700,000 and has nothing to show for it.
He also said the board entered into a town-operated Internet system that has been and will be a losing proposition. He said the town needs 400 subscribers to break even, and currently has 65.
“We are inheriting a lot of debt,” he said. “We are going to have to make some tough choices. This (current) board hasn’t taken care of the small things like sidewalks and old houses that need to be condemned. They ignored all of that.”
Smith said that isn’t the case. He said it was just too difficult to campaign against the anti-incumbent sentiment in the town.
“I’m very proud of what we have done over the last four years. This is the most progressive board the town has ever had,” Smith said. “I think we can hold our heads up high.”
Georgetown Clerk-Treasurer Doug Cook, a Democrat, ran unopposed.
Greenville Town Board
Richardson said Tuesday’s election “went about the way I figured it would go.”
The town board president defeated Democrat Barry Ginkins 75 votes to 32 in the District 2 race while Democrat Hanzel Barclay beat Bob Voll 67 votes to 41 in District 3. Republican Randal Johnes ran unopposed in District 1.
“I didn’t think it would go down any differently than it did,” Richardson said. “I have been out here all my life. People know me.”
Richardson said the board likely will consider whether or not to annex Heritage Springs development and its sewer plant over the next four years.
“The people will be informed and have a say in what goes on. That is the way I like to run government,” he said. “We will listen to the people. The board, as long as I’m on it, will not to anything behind their back.”
Clerk-Treasurer Jack Travillian, a Republican, ran unopposed.
