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Vestal elected as Tonganoxie mayor

By Staff Report - | Apr 3, 2007

Challenger Mike Vestal has won the race for mayor.

Vestal, a dispatcher for the city’s Police Department, defeated incumbent Mayor Dave Taylor, 365-341.

“I’d like to have won by more, but a win’s a win,” Vestal said from his home Tuesday night.

He credited his victory to the efforts of his daughter, Katie, who campaigned for her father among the city’s younger set.

“Katie helped me so much to get the younger people out to vote,” Vestal said.

Voters overwhelmingly backed the 3/4 of a cent sales tax proposal to build a new city swimming pool. The question passed 477 to 240.

In the race for two City Council seats, Thomas R. Putthoff, an Air Force veteran and former GM worker, and Paula Crook were elected. Putthoff outpolled all other challengers, with 479 votes. Crook, a driver for Meals on Wheels, received 297 votes. That put her ahead of Robert E. Altenhofen, who received 246 votes, and Velda Roberts, with 231 votes.

In school board balloting, Diane Truesdell defeated Alan J. Theno in Position 1, 818 votes to 432 votes.

Kathy Baragary, who has been an emergency substitute in the district, defeated Craig Lohman, a rancher, for the Position 2 seat, 771-497.

Incumbent Leana Leslie defeated Patti Bitler in Position 3, 670-541.

Mildred G. McMillon, who served on the Tonganoxie school board from 1976 to 1986 and the Kansas Board of Education from 1986 to 1998, will return to the Tonganoxie board. She defeated Tonganoxie physician Bill Weatherford, 659-610 for the at-large Position 7.

In Linwood, Georgiana Smith won the mayor’s race, 55-26, over Mary Morris. Robin Hilt and Jay Barnard won City Council seats.

The Leavenworth County race outcomes aren’t official until Friday’s canvass of votes.

In McLouth, a vote to increase the sales tax by 1 percent to fund utility improvements failed, 139-116.

In the City Council race, Sharon Lobb Johnson and Charles Karmann were the top two vote-getters, but Myra Harwood and Gerald Sullivan each received 124. Provisional ballots will decide who wins the final seat. Ballots will be canvassed Monday.

In the McLouth school board race, Ed Courtney and Mike Tullis won election.