By Staff
Dwight Tankersley wins city's top job
Leada DeVaney, Hartselle Enquirer
The clean them all out sentiment swept through Hartselle Tuesday, leaving most of the city's current administration in the dust. All incumbents except one lost their bids for reelection.
The lone exception is incumbent District Four City Councilman Dick Carter. He faces Bill Drake in the Sept. 14 runoff. Drake was the top vote getter, earning 1,444 votes, or 45 percent. Carter received 993 votes, or 31 percent, and a third candidate, Bruce Lackey, garnered 743 votes, or 23 percent.
Mayor Clif Knight lost his bid for a second term, with businessman Dwight Tankersley earning the most votes. Tankersley received 1,677 votes, or 51 percent, to Knight's 1,418 votes, or 43 percent. Larry Smith received 199 votes, or 6 percent.
Tankersley won every box except the absentee ballots, where Knight received 24 votes to Tankersley's 17.
Tankersley is the former owner of T&T Auto Supply. He sold the company to O'Reilly's Auto Parts in 2003. Earlier in the campaign, he said his top priority was uniting the next administration and improving communications with Hartselle Utilities, Hartselle City Schools and the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce.
Because Hartselle's population now exceeds 12,000 Tankersley will not serve as a voting member of the council. He will have veto power on council actions, but that can be overruled with a two-thirds council majority.
Other results from Tuesday night include:
Mizell has pledged to improve communication between city entities and work to spur economic growth in the city.
Wiley said his priorities include improving traffic flow in downtown and working on drainage problems throughout the city.