Qualifying for running for several offices in every county municipality will begin today. Lyerly is facing a shortage of candidates, however.

Lyerly Candidate Shortage

The Town of Lyerly could face a crisis of leadership in the coming years.

Qualifying for the positions of mayor and city council begins today. Unlike other municipalities in the county, Lyerly will have several open positions, even though the size of the council was reduced from four to five members two years ago because of the shortage of candidates.

Mayor Josh Wyatt and council members Ellen Wyatt and Robert Thompson have said they will not seek re-election. That leaves councilwoman Gwen Fisher as the only incumbent who plans to return. A fourth council seat has been unfilled since the last election when no one ran for it.

“I hope somebody will step up and run,” said outgoing second-term Lyerly Mayor Wyatt.”I believe they’ll come into a pretty good situation. The town is taking in more money than it ever has, thanks to liquor sales, Sunday liquor sales, and the new water meters we had installed.”

Wyatt and Town Clerk Sally Kerce said they hadn’t heard of anyone officially planning on running.

Qualifying starts at 8:30 aM on Monday and will run through the week. The town charges all candidates $35 to apply.

What happens if no one joins Fisher on the council or runs for mayor?

“I don’t know,” said Wyatt. “[Town Clerk] Sally [Kerce] is talking to [Town Attorney] Holly [Strawn] to find out what [would] happen.”

Menlo Election

Qualifying will be Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM till 4:30 PM with an hour break for lunch at Menlo Town Hall.

The offices of mayor and two council seats are up for election. All three incumbents, Mayor Teresa Canada and councilpeople Virginia Welch and Chuck Powell, are expected to run for re-election.

Summerville Election

It’s uncertain whether Lloyd “Buddy” Windle will seek another term in office on Seat 2 on the Summerville City Council, where he has served for 10 years. He’ll have to make his mind up by this Friday, however, when qualifying officially ends at 4:30 PM.

“I’ve really not made my mind up. It’s 50/50,” Windle told The Summerville News. “I will just have to wait and see. Some days I’m running; some days I’m not.”

The other two positions up for election are the mayorship and Council Seat 1, held by Mr. David Ford. Unlike councilman Windle, Mayor Harry Harvey and Councilman Ford have decided to run for re-election.

Both Harvey and Ford expressed the desire to win re-election to follow through on city projects they have helped start.

Qualifying starts today, running 9 AM-4:30 PM through Friday. The qualifying fee is $216 for mayor, and $108 for council seats. Absentee ballots will be available Oct 13 through Nov 3 at the City Hall. The election is Nov 7. The deadline to register to vote in this election Oct 10. Visit city hall to register.

Trion Election

Qualifying for town council and school board elections will start Monday and go through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM with an hour lunch break. Three council seats and the mayorship are up for election.

Mayor Larry Stansell and councilpeople Casey Brown, Becky McWhorter, and Mickey McGraw have all said they would seek re-election. Trion BOE employee Jeff Wilson is expected to challenge Casey Brown for Seat 1. No other candidates have announced plans to run at this point.

School board members Darryel Broome, Johnny Brimer, and Randy Henderson are all expected to seek re-election.

*UPDATED/CORRECTION: Jeff Wilson is challenging Casey Brown 

The Summerville News