Henry Daily Herald

Henry County elections workers prepare to load votes to be counted in Tuesday’s election.

After months of campaigning, several political novices were elected to seats in four local city governments, as voters in McDonough, Stockbridge, Hampton and Locust Grove, chose their city leaders for the next four years.

McDonough’s 14,000 eligible voters were asked to cast ballots for city council representatives in two districts. Kamali Varner, an inventory clerk, edged out veteran District 4 Councilman Monta Brown, a business consultant. Varner received 45 percent of the vote, or 90 votes. Brown finished the night with 73 votes. A third challenger, businessman Alphonso Williams, got 36 votes.

“He [Brown) was not in touch with the community,” said resident, Edward Head, who said he supported Brown in his 2003 race. “He promised that he was going to be more involved with the community, but he didn’t keep that promise. Once he got elected, we didn’t see him anymore.”

Varner was excited about her win.

“I’m willing to work full force with the city council, to make McDonough continue to be a city of character,” she said. “My first priority is to make sure District 4 is informed, and to make sure constituents are engaged in what’s going on with the city.”

District 3 Incumbent Wayne Smith, easily defeated Swaine Thompson, a planning commissioner for the city, for a return to his post. Smith picked up 362 votes to 145 for Thompson.

“I’m grateful for the hard work and support of a large number of people that make it possible to continue to serve,” Smith said. He said he plans to work toward promoting fiscal responsibility in the city government, and to look for candidates to become the next city administrator to replace current administrator Billy Beckett.

McDonough City Councilwoman At-Large Gail Notti was unopposed in her re-election bid. The retired educator will retain her seat.

In Stockbridge, voters selected three newcomers for the five-member city council — Alphonso Thomas, Richard Steinberg and Robin Buschman.

Thomas, a retired dockworker, garnered the most votes cast, 482; business consultant, Richard Steinberg was second, with 419 votes, and Empson’s Deli owner, Robin Buschman, got 372 votes.

“This is not my first time running,” said Thomas. “I think the citizens were tired of the bickering, and wanted the city to move forward. They were seeking new leadership,” he said.

“The citizens of Stockbridge are the winners, and now we can get on with the business that the citizens require,” said Steinberg.

“I’m excited to get to work for the city,” said Buschman, who added that she plans to work with her fellow council members on budgetary and revitalization efforts for the city.

Stockbridge incumbents, Kathy Gilbert, a retired insurance underwriter, and Shirley Dabney, a customer service representative for a local bank, were both ousted. The remaining votes were split among candidates Rashida Cloud, Houston Nelson and Charles Reid.

The name of former candidate, Beverly Edwards, appeared on the municipal ballot, but votes for her did not count, said Henry County Elections and Registration Director Janet Shellnutt. Edwards was removed from consideration, in October, because she could not prove her residency. Elections department staff posted signs at voting machines alerting voters of Edwards’ ineligibility, Shellnutt said.

Locust Grove candidates, and their families, joined in the wait for election results, which showed that Locust Grove will get a new mayor, Robert Price, and new council members in Sammy Brown and Vernon Ashe. They will join incumbents, Otis Hammock and Frances Ward, who were re-elected.

“I am excited, it’s a new chapter in my life, I’ve never done this before,” said Brown. He won with 213 votes. “I’ve gone from fighting forest fires for a living, to being a city councilman.” He said he has been listening to residents complaints about the city repairing potholes and speed bumps on city streets.

Ashe won with 234 votes. “I visited 1,042 Locust Grove homes door to door, asking for their votes,” said Ashe. He said one of the first things he wants to work on is improving the city’s water. Ward received 210 votes, and Hammock got 241 votes.

“I’m proud for the city,” said Mayor-elect Price. He got 320 votes without opposition.

“With all of the turmoil we’ve had, we are going to work together, to get it all straightened out,” said Price. “The city will be better off when we come together as a community, which we will do ...”

A small margin determined the winners of three at-large seats on the Hampton City Council. The winners included two incumbents and one newcomer. Incumbent Henry Byrd was the top vote-getter with 464 votes, followed by newcomer, Harold “Willie” Walls, with 414 votes, and incumbent, Steve Hutchison, with 378.

“I’m very excited that the people of Hampton gave me a second term in office,” said Hutchison. “I think the council will come together and work well together.” He said the addition of Walls to the council is an opportunity to continue moving forward.

“When I was elected four years ago, I was the new kid on the block. And when I came on the council, I had councilmen come to my front door to congratulate me. I’m sure we’ll do the same for him [Walls].”

Walls thanked the voters of Hampton for appointing him to the new post as an at-large city councilman. “I’m just glad I won,” said Walls. He said his primary reason for running was to solve the problem of high utility bills in the city during tough economic times.

“I just want to see if I could do something about these utility bills,” he said. “They’re hurting everybody, but especially folks with fixed incomes. There has to be something done about them; there’s got to be some alternatives somewhere.”

Shellnutt said she was encouraged by the level of participation from local residents, in the municipal elections.

— Staff writers Johnny Jackson and Elaine Rackley contributed to this article.