Kemna, Fitzwater joining Jefferson City Council

Dave Kemna
Dave Kemna

photo

AP

Smoke from a burning gas pipeline carries over farm fields near Milford, Texas, on Thursday.

Dave Kemna is the new councilman from Jefferson City's 1st Ward.

And Ron Fitzwater will complete the last year of former Councilman Glen Costales' term in the 4th Ward, after Costales resigned late last year for family reasons.

In unofficial results, Kemna defeated incumbent Jim Branch, who was running for his third two-year term.

Kemna won 937 votes, 57.24 percent of the total, to Branch's 697 votes, 42.58 percent.

Kemna told the News Tribune on Tuesday night, "I'm just really excited to get started and serving the east side, addressing some of the concerns and issues and just having conversations with them on how we can improve this city and the 1st Ward."

Economic development on the east side and keeping communication lines open were two issues on which Kemna campaigned.

Branch said he was disappointed.

"It was a good race. I hate to lose, but the voters have spoken," he said. "It was a good, fair contest."

Fitzwater won a three-way race, capturing 1,399 votes, for 60.75 percent of the total.

"I appreciate all the folks who helped me. I think we had a good campaign plan that I tried to put into action," he said. "I think serving is going to be difficult - obviously, as we talked during the campaign, we've got some serious issues that we need to address in our city."

Economic development and fixing the stormwater collection system were two of his campaign issues.

Fitzwater thanked his two opponents for running a good, hard campaign.

"They made me work hard," he said, "and I think I was a better candidate for that."

Charles Jackson came in second, with 654 votes, 28.4 percent of the total.

Leonard Steinman II placed third, with 244 votes, 10.59 percent.

Right now, Fitzwater said, he's planning on seeking a full, two-year term next year.

"That was part of the campaign plan that we tried to put together," he explained. "My activities over the next 12 months will dictate if the voters feel like that" should happen.

Branch was the only incumbent with opposition for re-election to a two-year term.

The unopposed candidates, and their unofficial vote totals, were:

Laura Ward, 2nd Ward Council, 845.

Ken Hussey, 3rd Ward Council, 1,930.

Carlos Graham, 4th Ward Council, 1,926.

Mark Schreiber, 5th Ward Council, 1,496.

Cotton Walker, municipal judge, 7,567.

Brian Stumpe, municipal prosecutor, 7,298.

After the votes are certified next week, the Council likely will reorganize at its next meeting, scheduled for April 17.

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