DAPHNE – Voters in Spanish Fort and Daphne will go to the polls Tuesday to select mayors in municipal runoff elections.
Spanish Fort voters will also select a City Council member in a runoff for one seat.
Election results will be posted on http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/ as soon as available.
In Daphne, City Council President Robin LeJeune faces Steve Carey, a retired Air Force officer and corporate executive, in the race for mayor. Incumbent Mayor Dane Haygood is not running for re-election.
In an Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce forum held Sept. 29, both candidates stressed the need for planning and dealing with growth.
LeJeune cited his experience on the council and connections with the city.
“I’ve served Daphne and I will continue to serve Daphne,” LeJeune said. “My business is here. My family has grown up here. My family’s here. We’ve been so fortunate. Daphne is a great place. It’s a great place to raise a family. That’s why everybody wants to come here. We have to make sure we protect it, but we also have to make sure that we continue to grow. That’s why we have a 20-year road repaving plan that we started three years ago. It’s $1 million a year that goes into repaving the roads. That’s a 20-year plan. We have a sidewalk plan to build sidewalks at $250,000 a year. So, we are doing these things to protect our citizens and our neighborhoods.”
Carey said the city needs new leadership to deal with growth.
“Daphne is at that crossroad. It’s a wonderful city,” Carey said. “We all love it, often times at different reasons, but we have to make a choice here and your choice will occur on Oct. 6. I would ask you on that day that you think about experience, that you think about the candidates from that perspective, that you think about the leadership that each have claimed that they have fulfilled in the various positions that they have held over the past.”
In Spanish Fort, incumbent Mike McMillan is challenged by Rebecca Cornelius. At a forum in Spanish Fort on Oct. 2, McMillan also cited his experience in dealing with problems that Spanish Fort will continue to face.
“I am the only candidate that has proven to meet all these criteria,” McMillan said. “There has been a sensible plan to handle growth, to improve our quality of life and manage the merger of our fire department with the city, that understand the elements of the city, all three phases, that’s health, safety and welfare, to the benefit of our city.”
Cornelius did not attend the forum due to a scheduling conflict. In an earlier discussion, she said Spanish Fort needs new leadership.
“Spanish Fort has had a substantial growth over the years, and it needs new leadership,” Cornelius said. “My goal is to advocate for responsible growth while continuing to keep the family-friendly ideals that are important to me alive. I plan on having regular communication listening to all the citizens and their input on how we can improve the city of Spanish Fort and help serve this place better.”
In the race for Spanish Fort City Council District 3, voters will also decide between Shane Perry and Wanda Finch.
