ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Incumbents prevailed in most races as voters in Robertsdale and Loxley went to the polls on Tuesday to decide key races in Central Baldwin.
The only challenger to win out in the five races between the two municipalities was Russell Johnson, owner of Sweet Home Coffee and son of the owners of Goo Roo’s restaurant.
Preliminary results indicate that Johnson won out over longtime council member Brent Kendrick by only 47 votes, receiving 450 (52.8 percent of the 853 total votes cast in the race.
“I would like to thank the city of Robertsdale for entrusting me to serve as an upcoming city councilman,” said Johnson in an emailed statement on Wednesday. “Thanks to all that helped me through this campaign and especially my wife, Stephanie. I have big shoes to fill from Mr. Kendrick and I thank him for his many years of service to the city. Most importantly I'm thankful to God for the opportunity to be his servant and to use this position to honor and glorify Him.”
Kendrick served as council member from 1988-1996 before being re-elected in 2000, a total of seven terms, or 28 years on the council.
“I am grateful to have been able to serve the citizens of Robertsdale,” he said in a phone interview on Wednesday, “and I am confident that the current city council will do a great job moving the city forward to accomplish its goals for the future.”
Preliminary results indicate that longtime Robertsdale Mayor Charles Murphy will retain his seat as mayor for a ninth term in office without the need for a runoff.
Unofficial tallies indicate that Murphy received 59.4 percent of the vote or 513 of the 863 total votes cast, defeating challengers Roger Booth (228 votes, 26.5 percent) and Tim Brown (122 votes, 14.1 percent).
Mayor Pro Tem Joe Kitchens, Place 1; and Sue Cooper, Place 2, also retained their seats over challengers Jim Giles and Lonnie Ard.
Kitchens will begin his ninth term on the council, with preliminary totals indicating that he received 579 votes (68.4 percent) with Giles receiving 268 votes.
Cooper will serve her fifth term on the council getting 59.6 percent of the vote, unofficially with a total of 508 votes to Ard’s 345 votes.
Incumbents Ruthie Campbell, Place 3; and Paul Hollingsworth, Place 5, both qualified unopposed.
In Loxley, McCall held off three challengers with preliminary totals indicating that he received 53.6 percent of the vote total with 142 of the 265 ballots cast.
Randy Smith finished second with 63 votes (23.8 percent); followed by Dr. Philip Dembowski with 32 (12.0 percent) and Beth Lovell with 28 votes (10.6 percent).
“I feel like I’ve put in a lot of effort over the last four weeks, walking the streets and talking to people and it paid off,” McCall said in a phone interview on Wednesday. “I’ve heard that it takes a year to get situated and get settled into everything that is going on. I’ve put in that year on the council and looking forward to four more years of serving the citizens of Loxley.
“We’ve got a lot going on in this town. I believe in Richard Teal’s vision for the future of Loxley and look forward to helping him and the council obtain those goals.”
Mayor Richard Teal, Mayor Pro Tem Kasey Childress and council members Richard Lee Wilson, Jeffrey T. Knight and Katherine Breeden all qualified unopposed.
