Election Results

Annabeth Miller

Daily Dunklin Democrat

There was a round of spontaneous applause and broad smiles in the middle of Tuesday night's Kennett City Council meeting, as Mayor Roger Wheeler Sr. announced the results of the city election.

City voters joined voters throughout the state in deciding local and school board questions on Tuesday. Locally, Kennett voters were asked to consider an increase in local sales tax and to express their opinion on a non-binding question on trash collection in the city.

"The sales tax won," a happy Wheeler informed the council and those attending the meeting.

"I'm excited about the fact that we will have a little more money coming forward in our sales tax," Wheeler said Tuesday night. "I do appreciated everybody that voted for it and supported it. I regret the trash issue was defeated. However, we will still work on it. I understand the sentiment that goes along with. We will just have to work around it. I think an ordinance can be drafted that will allow all the parties to stay in business."

Wheeler noted that other communities in the region have worked out a standard trash pickup system.

"Somehow we have got to get a mandatory trash requirement that is added to the utility bill. If everybody has to pay there is no need to dump trash in somebody's yard. The most convenient place will be the trash can in the yard."

According to unofficial results released by County Clerk Carol Hinesly, election results in the Kennett city issues were:

Sales Tax

(increase city

sales tax to 6.475)

* Ward One: Yes - 164 : No - 94

* Ward Two: Yes - 111 : No - 34

* Ward Three: Yes -122 : No - 72

* Ward Four: Yes - 211 : No - 82

* Ward Five: Yes - 164 : No - 98

* Absentee: Yes - 11 : No - 29

Question on

Trash pick up

* Ward One: Yes - 91 : No - 166

* Ward Two: Yes - 47 : No - 97

* Ward Three: Yes - 57 : No - 140

* Ward Four: Yes - 108 : No - 182

* Ward Five: Yes - 91 : No - 173

* Absentee: Yes - 11 : No -- 30

In the only contested race for council member from the Third Ward, Phil Dee Gurley defeated Beverly Alford-Thomas 176-14. Gurley will assume the council position currently held by, Tony Crawford who did not run for reelection.

All other city incumbents as well as City Treasurer Gaylon Mullins were reelected without opposition in the Tuesday municipal election.