Three Jackson County communities will have some new members behind the table when the town councils meet in January.
In Brownstown, the only general election race was between incumbent Republican Gregory Goshorn and Democrat Pamela Fleetwood for the Ward 1 seat on the five-member council. Goshorn won 220-102.
Crothersville’s council will consist of five Republicans — incumbents Danieta Foster and Chad Wilson, Jamy Greathouse, Jason Hillenburg and Katherine “Katie” Masters. The vote totals were 237 for Wilson, 218 for Greathouse, 210 for Hillenburg, 183 for Foster and 181 for Masters.
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The Democrats running were Kyle McIntosh (166), Geoffrey Walker (96) and Cedric Nichols (77).
The Medora Town Council also will be all Republicans — incumbent Jim Davers, Rhonda Freeman and Jerry Ault. Ault received 98 votes, followed by Freeman with 81 and Davers with 73. Incumbent Democrat Robert Thompson, the current council president, tallied 58 votes.
Goshorn recently was appointed president after Sally Lawson left her Ward 5 seat. He was appointed to his seat three years ago and in August won a town convention against Terry Fordice 80-20.
“I’m just thrilled that the people of Brownstown went ahead and selected me for my own term for four years,” Goshorn said. “I feel like we’ve got a very good board right now, and I’m excited to get back and see what we can do to help further Brownstown.”
Incumbent Republicans Sharon Koch (Ward 2) and Gary Drake (Ward 3), Republican Timothy Robinson (Ward 5) and incumbent Democrat Mark Reynolds (Ward 4) all ran unopposed. Their vote totals were 266 for Koch, 256 for Drake, 258 for Robinson and 210 for Reynolds.
Wilson, the current vice president of the Crothersville Town Council, was elected in November 2015 and started serving in 2016 when the council changed from three to five members.
In that election, he received the most votes of the nine candidates. This year, he led among eight candidates.
“I just love my job, and I’m very blessed and honored that people believe in me,” Wilson said. “I’m looking forward to working with the new council the next four years. I’m overwhelmed with joy and very honored that we got the results that we did.”
Greathouse is new to politics.
“I want to thank the members of this wonderful community for choosing me to represent your voice,” he said. “I feel excited and blessed to be given this opportunity. I will strive to always do what is in the best interest of this amazing town.”
Hillenburg said his first campaign was enjoyable with a great group of candidates from both parties.
“I’m humbled as well as excited that those who voted chose me as one of their council members for the next four years,” he said. “I appreciate all who exercised their right and voiced their opinion by casting a vote in my direction. I am a citizen, not a politician, and I plan to do my best for this community as a citizen and not a politician.”
He said the voters selected a great group of dedicated people to serve Crothersville.
“I feel that we are all on the same page as far as the future of our town is concerned,” Hillenburg said. “We all only want the best for our town and its residents. I look forward to beginning this new venture with my great team that the Crothersville voters have elected into office.”
Foster, the current president of the Crothersville Town Council, started at the same time as Wilson.
“I am very happy, I am very grateful that the people of Crothersville decided to allow me to have four more years and I intend to continue the work that I’ve been doing and moving Crothersville forward,” she said.
She’s excited to continue to work with Wilson and have the three new council members and a new clerk-treasurer.
“I think that they all have good ideas, and we all want the same things for the town, and I think we’re going to make a good team,” Foster said. “And I’m glad to be working with Staci (Peters) as clerk-treasurer. I think she’s going to be very good at the job.”
Masters said she didn’t know what to expect with her first time running for office, but she is happy with the outcome.
“It truly means a lot to me. I really appreciate it. It makes me feel really good,” she said. “I’m really excited to be on the town council. I think we have a great group. … I think we have a good team and will work well together.”
In Medora, this was Ault’s first time running for a political office.
“It means a lot because I know that a lot of people will have trust in me and they want to see changes made, so we’re going to make it happen,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with Jim Davers and Rhonda Freeman. I think we’re going to get a lot accomplished.”
Freeman also is new to running for office, while Davers will start his fifth term on the council.
“It makes me feel good, and I’m going to try to do my best for them. If they put faith in me, I’m going to do my best for them,” Davers said of the town’s voters re-electing him.
“We hope we get some things accomplished,” he said. “We’ve got a lot ahead of us, but I think we can do it if we all work together.”