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Shannon Hills mayoral run-off is Tuesday |
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Monday, 02 November 2009 |
Residents of Shannon Hills will decide Tuesday who will lead their city for the next several years in a run-off election between Sandy Vosburg and James Smith.
Early voting ballots for the run-off election can be dropped off through 4:30 p.m. today at the county voting center, located adjacent to the Saline County Courthouse annex on North Main Street in Benton.
The election day polling site will be open from 7:30 a.m to 7:30 p.m. at Shannon Hills City Hall, 10401 High Road East.
The mayoral election follows the resignation of previous Mayor Larance Davis, who left the position on May 22 after he pleaded guilty to failure to file state income tax returns (class D felony) and misdemeanor attempted failure to file state income taxes.
Davis, who was Shannon Hills mayor since 1998, was ordered by Saline County Circuit Court Judge Bobby McCallister to resolve his tax problems with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and fully cooperate with any future inquires from the agency. He will also serve six years of probation, including 12 months supervised and 62 months unsupervised, and will pay a $1,000 fine and various court costs.
Vosburg was immediately sworn in as the interim mayor after Davis resigned, and a special election was held on Oct. 13 for voters to decide who would permanently replace Davis.
Along with Vosburg and Smith, Sue Skipper and Curtis “Curt” Wilson also ran for the mayor’s seat. Smith and Skipper currently serve on the City Council. Wilson is city treasurer and Vosburg is the former city recorder.
Overall, 331 votes were cast in the special election with Vosburg receiving 112 and Smith receiving 96.
“You have to have 50 percent plus one vote to win. [Vosburg] had 33.94 percent,” Lucky Torney of Shannon Hills City Hall said.
Vosburg, 63, has lived in Shannon Hills for about 25 years and said she’s been coming to city council meetings since 1999. It never occurred to her to become mayor, but she said she’s embraced the challenge and would like to continue to lead the city as mayor.
“After being in here since May, I have enjoyed the work and getting to meet people, listening to their complaints and trying to do something about them,” Vosburg said. “The city has a wonderful group of employees and I would enjoy being up here working with them. Together we can do something good.”
Smith, 47, is serving his fourth term on the city council. He is owner of J&K Automotive in Shannon Hills and has lived in the city since 1991. He said he’s running for mayor because he wants to bring the city back to financial stability.
“The city is not at its operating potential, and I want to bring it to that level,” he said.
Both candidates have been hitting the campaign trial hard since realizing they would be in a run-off.
“My biggest thing is to get back out and talk to my people, see if I can’t get this election won,” Smith said. “More people need to get informed so I’m just going to hit the streets running.”
“I’m going to get out and campaign — I didn’t do that before,” Vosburg said. “I tried to stay at my desk and do my job. But now I’m going to get out and greet people.”
For more information, call Shannon Hills City Hall at 455-2003.
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