With just one week remaining to qualify for municipal elections in Talladega and St. Clair counties, things are beginning to shape up with some interesting area election matchups.St. Clair County
In Pell City, two people have qualified to run for mayor, while nobody has put their name in the hat for the District 1 spot on the City Council.
Former St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Bill Hereford and Joe Funderburg, a St. Clair County juvenile probation officer, have qualified to run for mayor. Both men publicly announced they were running for mayor before candidates began qualifying for municipal elections.
City officials said so far nobody has qualified for the District 1 seat on the council, which is currently held by Greg Gossett.
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Gossett said. “I guess probably in the next day or two,
Gossett said he most likely will run for re-election.
“I think my district wants me there,” he said.
It looks like a rerun for the District 3 council seat. Current Councilman Ed Pennington and challenger Dot Wood, who went head-to-head in the race for the seat four years ago, have both qualified this year.
Wood is owner and operator of Wood Appraisal Service in Pell City. Pennington is a retired Pell City Police Department captain.
Another matchup this upcoming election is between Councilman J.T. Carter and former Councilman James McGowan, who lost a bid for mayor four years ago.
Carter served on the Pell City school board before taking McGowan’s District 2 spot on the council. McGowan served five terms on the council before Carter won the spot in 2004.
Sharon Thomas, owner and broker of Hometown Properties in Pell City, will challenge Councilman Donnie Todd for the District 4 council spot, while Donnie Guinn, an employee with the Pell City School System, is the lone candidate thus so far to qualify for the District 5 seat on the council.
All current school board members have qualified. They are Mike Price, David Murphy, Dr. Eric Hicks, Norman Wilder and Cecil Fomby, who is currently chairman of the board.
So far, only one school board member is being challenged for their spot on the board. Joel Day is challenging Mike Price for the District 4 seat. Day is vice president of Aliant Bank in Pell City.
In Riverside, three people have qualified to run for mayor: current Mayor Rusty Jessup, Charlie O’Barr and Gilbert Norman.
In District 1, current Councilman Jimmy Hollander has qualified to run, with no current opposition.
In District 2, current Councilwoman Rachelle Painter has qualified to run, with no current opposition.
In District 3, no one has qualified at this time.
In District 4, Rob Hayes has qualified to run, with no current opposition.
In District 5, four people have qualified: Lisa Baggett, Bill Cantley, A. DeAngelo Stinson, and Kenny Womack.
Talladega County
In Sylacauga, incumbent Mayor Sam Wright is running for re-election. Currently, his only opponent in the race is Jim Hethcox.
Jim Heigl and Pam Landers are running for the District 1 City Council seat.
In District 2, only Manuell Smith III has qualified, and current Councilman Ken Horn is the only candidate qualified to run in District 3.
Shannon Darby, Walter Jacobson and Larry White are all seeking the District 4 City Council seat.
Mary Deason and Bryan Morgan are running in District 5.
In Lincoln, current Mayor Lew Watson has qualified to run for mayor again. He is currently unopposed.
In Ward 1, current Councilwoman Sadie Britt has qualified, with no current opposition.
In Ward 2, Councilman Billy Pearson has qualified to run again, with no current opposition.
In Ward 3, three people have qualified to run: Raymond Lane, Mildred Trammell and Chris Watson.
In Ward 4, Councilman H.H. “Kurt” Kuykendall has qualified to run, with no current opposition.
In Ward 5, two people have qualified to run: current Councilwoman Jean Burk and Bud Kitchin.
In Childersburg, three candidates have qualified for the office of mayor. Incumbent B.J. Meeks, Crystal Ricks and Charles Woods each qualified last week.
For City Council, current Councilman Willie J. “Bill” Ham is seeking re-election in Ward A against Sherie Box and Jimmy Payne.
Tom Jeff Duvall, James W. “Pete” Haisten and Michelle Mizzell have all qualified to run in Ward B.
Bonnie Wallace Carter and Charlie D. Woodruff are running for the Ward C council seat.
In Ward D, Billy Lester is running against incumbent T. Glenn Stubblefield.
Charles Reynolds and Ralph R. Rich are running in Ward E.
In Munford, town clerk Tanya Thomas said the list of qualifiers was not ready to be released Tuesday.
Candidates have until July 15 to qualify.
Municipal elections are slated for Aug. 26. Runoffs, if needed, are scheduled for Oct. 7.
Newly elected officials will take office on the first Monday in November.
— Home staff writers David Atchison, Elsie Hodnett, Antrenise Cole and Kendra Carter contributed to this report
