5 win seats on expanded Crothersville council; new clerk-treasurer wins

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For the first time, the Crothers-ville Town Council will consist of five members.

In Tuesday’s general election, Republicans Chad Wilson and Danieta Foster and Democrats Lenvel “Butch” Robinson, Brenda Holzworth and Robert “Bob” Lyttle were selected by voters to represent the town on the council for the next four years.

Their first meeting together will be Jan. 5 at Crothersville Town Hall.

In the 2014 general election, 75 percent of the town’s residents voted to increase the number of council members from three to five.

With this year’s election, Wilson received the most votes with 291, followed by Robinson 226, Holzworth 197, Lyttle 185 and Foster 163. Robinson is the only incumbent.

With the other four candidates, Democrat Geoffrey Walker received 141 votes, Republican J.D. Woods earned 134, Republican Jerad Sporleder tallied 132 and Democrat Nancy Hopper had 75.

Also Tuesday, Republican incumbent Terry Richey won the town’s clerk-treasurer race, defeating Democratic challenger NaLona Bush 201-181.

Of the 1,142 registered voters in Crothersville, 388 or 34 percent voted in this year’s general election.

Wilson said he is happy with Tuesday’s results and is ready to get started helping make important decisions for the town.

“Overwhelmed; excited; I’m just kind of speechless right now. I’m just kind of lost for words,” he said Tuesday night. “I’m very honored. I’m really excited and ready to get to work. I live here, I work here, and this is my home. I’m proud of the community, and I just want to be a part of a team that helps the community move forward and survive and thrive in the years to come.”

This was Wilson’s first time running for a political office.

“It has been a very good experience,” he said. “I filed at the end of May. I thought about running the last several years. This year, I just decided that I was going to go for it. With me being involved in the community through my volunteer work and with my businesses, I have a really good relationship with the community.”

Robinson was elected to the council in 2011 and began serving in 2012.

“I greatly appreciate the people who voted for me, that’s for sure,” he said. “I do feel like the last council the last four years has improved this town greatly.”

Robinson said he hopes the council will continue to work on paving streets and the water drainage throughout the town.

“The people that got elected are intelligent enough that I think we ought to be able to work together and hopefully do a good job for the next four years,” he said.

Holzworth ran for the town council a few years ago, but it had to be decided in a caucus, and she lost by one vote. Last year, she helped promote the increase of board members from three to five.

She also has attended several council meetings and expects that to help when she begins her term.

“I’m sure being involved in the community will help me because I’ll be able to hear more input of what’s going on and what people’s concerns are. I just want to … see what we actually can do. I want us to have a little town with a lot to offer,” she said.

Lyttle admitted he was surprised to earn one of the council seats, but he was happy with the results.

“I’ve been around the town a long time,” he said. “When I was younger, I was a police officer here, and I used to work for the street department and this and that. But I hadn’t been in contact with the town for several years, and I’m proud to be able to serve this little town. I believe it can grow and prosper.”

In his first time running for a political office, Lyttle said he passed out cards, put up a few signs and talked to fellow residents.

“What I told them, I said, ‘I can’t promise. I’m just one-fifth of the board, but I can be honest,’” he said. “You can learn a lot by talking to people. I didn’t do a whole lot of campaigning, but I did what I thought I had to do. It was a delightful experience.”

Richey was appointed to the clerk-treasurer position in January 2014 to finish the term vacated by Michele Teipen. With this year’s general election, Teipen helped Richey with campaigning.

Richey said she feels she has accomplished a lot in her nearly two years on the job, and she is ready to start her first full four-year term.

“I just want to continue the good work that we’ve been doing,” she said. “I want to continue the progress that we’ve made with just doing things that benefit the public. I’m just really excited about it. I feel really good about it.”

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Crothersville Town Council

At-large (five seats)

Republican Chad Wilson;291

Democrat Lenvel “Butch” Robinson (I);226

Democrat Brenda Holzworth;197

Democrat Robert “Bob” Lyttle;185

Republican Danieta Foster;163

Democrat Geoffrey Walker;141

Republican J.D. Woods;134

Republican Jerad Sporleder;132

Democrat Nancy Hopper;75

Crothersville clerk-treasurer

Republican Terry Richey (I);201

Democrat NaLona Bush;181

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