GALENA — The village will have a new mayor and a new councilwoman next year.
According to the Delaware County Board of Elections, the unofficial results of the Nov. 7 general election had Jeff Kinnell with 468 votes (66.29%) and Mary Brooks 238 (33.71%) in the mayoral race.
“Galena deserves a new Mayor with the experience to lead our village towards a successful future,” Kinnell said in an email to The Gazette. “Working in partnership with our community, I will build a future for Galena that is both prosperous and true to its deep heritage, and quaint, small-town feel. My experience as an effective technology sales executive, and negotiator, has positioned me well to thoughtfully manage our fiscal resources, maintain our independence, improve our common areas, and develop a comprehensive safety and security plan for the village.”
Two members of council were also elected.
Michael Fry received 473 votes (54.56%), and newcomer Gillian Doucette-Banten received 358 (41.29%), while write-in received 36 (4.15%).
In neighboring Berkshire Township, incumbent Trustee Paul Disantis 1,704 (61.29%) ended up defeating challenger Austin Slattery 1,076 (38.71%).
Also in Galena, village voters approved an electric aggregation resolution by a 2-1 margin. The village sent out an information email on the issue prior to the election, which asked why Galena chose to add aggregation to the ballot.
“Currently AEP rates are some of the highest in history,” was the response. “Rates have jumped a considerable amount due to energy markets and the national shift into renewable energy. This is giving the people of Galena an option of energy supply at no fees to take advantage of.”
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak photographs and reports on stories in eastern Delaware County and surrounding areas.
