A blend of old and new faces received Athens City Council at-large positions in yesterday's election, with Democrats Amy Flowers, Jim Sands and Elahu Gosney winning the three seats.
Sands was the leading vote earner with 1,973, and Flowers followed closely with 1,889. Newcomer Gosney earned 1,603 votes.
Independent Troy Gregorino, a reading tutor and lead singer of The Jarts, lost with 506 votes. Cindy Johnson, civil rights activist and independent write-in candidate received 37 votes. Both were unavailable for comment.
The wins are nothing new for incumbents Flowers and Sands. Flowers, an Ohio University graduate student, is finishing her first term on council, while Sands, the owner of the Athens Flower Shop, will be serving his sixth term in January.
Every election day is like the second Christmas of the year for me
Flowers said. She added that she felt more confident during this year's campaign than during last year's.
The first time I ran I was essentially a nobody with no experience she said. Now
I have proven what I can do and that I will work as hard as I can to give back to the city of Athens.
Sands said he was happy that all the Democratic candidates on the ballot were elected, but cautioned that the current Council, composed entirely of Democrats, argues more than past city councils with mixed political parties.
We (the democratic candidates) all have widely diverging ideas
even dreams
for the city
Sands said.Gosney, an Ohio University graduate student and researcher at an OU diabetes-research lab, is the only candidate with no political experience.
(Gosney) brings a fresh voice to council
Flowers said. In a city where students almost double the number of residents
we can offer a point of view that no other council members can.
While Flowers and Sands finish out their current terms, Gosney will spend the next two months preparing for this position on council. He and said he is looking forward to working with Sands and Flowers.
We'll be able to achieve a lot as a team
Gosney said of joining fellow democrats Flowers and Sands on council.
