Four seats on Powell City Council were up for grabs on Election Day, with three incumbents running for another term in current Mayor Frank Bertone, Brian Lorenz and Tom Counts. Tuesday’s vote served as a ringing endorsement for the current work of council as all three were reelected to office.
Lorenz led all candidates with 2,428 votes received, while Bertone and Counts pulled in 2,232 and 2,0008 votes, respectively.
The fourth and final seat on council proved to be far closer as the initial poll shows Christina Drummond to have beaten Leif Carlson by just eight votes. The winner of the council seat will not be determined until the election is certified on Nov. 15.
“It feels fantastic, truthfully,” Bertone said of being reelected. “It’s an honor and a privilege to continue to serve, and I am excited to get that opportunity for the next four years to continue the great things we’ve started in the last few years. I’m feeling great about the team we’re assembling, and I really want to see those efforts come to fruition for the residents.”
Bertone said it’s exciting to have the continuity council will have with all three incumbents being reelected, and one new member in either Drummond or Carlson coming onboard.
“We don’t have to wait two or three months to get to know each other or smooth things out. We can hit the ground running with the team we are building, and I feel like we are ahead of the curve,” Bertone said.
Counts said it feels “wonderful” to have been reelected and given the opportunity to continue his work on council.
“I’m just pleased that I can continue sort of the road that we’ve been on,” Counts said. “I think the residents have shown that they have confidence in the city and its elected representatives, and it’s sort of a vote of confidence. I appreciate that.”
Counts said he can never quite know to what extent residents are aware of the work being done on council, but he believes those residents are certainly paying attention given the election results.
“If they’re unhappy, they’re going to show that on Election Day, and I think it is very much an affirmation of what we’re doing,” he said.
Lorenz, who will be serving his fourth term on council, echoed Counts’ sentiment that being reelected is an affirmation of the work he has done previously, saying the sheer number of people who voted for him is indicative of how many people are depending on him and the rest of council as a group.
“I am humbled and honored that Powell residents have entrusted me to represent them for another term,” Lorenz told The Gazette. “Our residents demand leaders who are out in front of issues and reactive. They demand leaders who are transparent and accessible. They demand leaders who are fiscally conservative and good stewards of their tax dollars, and I think the results Tuesday night overwhelmingly showed that.”
Lorenz added, “Elections are really hard, no matter where you line up on them. But they’re especially difficult on the families. And for me, firstly, I’m really blessed to have such an outstanding family around me here in Powell … and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my wife, Sue. Together, we really love our community and we’re blessed to take on this awesome responsibility. I’m really excited. We have a lot of great stuff in the hopper.”
While she is still awaiting the certified count, Drummond said she is “honored” to receive as many votes as she did, adding that she received over 400 more votes than during her last campaign in 2017.
“It’s really wonderful to have that bipartisan support from across Powell. I am honored to be in the running with such wonderful servants, and I look forward to knowing more after the Nov. 15 meeting,” Drummond said.
