One new councilman comes on in Cloverdale after elections

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

CLOVERDALE — Elected leadership will stay largely the same in Cloverdale, with incumbents re-elected and one newcomer getting the seat of a retiring council member.

Republican Rick Dearwester beat out Independent Robert Anderson for the town council seat representing Ward 2. Don Sublett, who has not been attending meetings reportedly due to ill health, did not seek another term.

Out of 272 votes cast in this ward, Dearwester received 167 votes to Anderson’s 105.

Current Town Council President Larry Fidler, who represents Ward 1, was the only incumbent in the Cloverdale races to stand unopposed.

Incumbent clerk-treasurer Cheryl Galloway barely beat out Independent challenger Vanessa Carr with 143 votes to her challenger’s 140.

The race for the at-large seat on the Cloverdale Town Council ended with Republican incumbent Gary Bennington being re-elected with 156 votes to challenger Samantha Hinman’s 124 votes.

In her reaction to her reelection as clerk-treasurer, Galloway was humble but excited after the results came in at the Putnam County Courthouse yesterday evening.

“Jesus was in the house tonight, and we’re ready to keep moving forward in Cloverdale,” she said short and simply.

As to working with the council during the next four years, Galloway said she looked forward to promoting both cooperation and progress in Cloverdale.

“I think we’re still on the same page, and I think we’re just ready for Cloverdale to move forward and to make more progress,” she said.

Dearwester was excited to be elected to the town council in Cloverdale, while also knowing he would need to put in the effort to address issues such as water prices and rehabilitation.

“I’m happy,” he said, “but there is a lot of work we can do in helping Cloverdale move forward, so I’m excited to work with the council.”

He related that his goal was to invite more input from the public on issues that affect them most. Essentially, Dearwester said that it was all about “listening” to people’s concerns.

“I’d like to hear more from people and get folks involved,” he said, though he acknowledged that council meetings in Cloverdale are well-attended. Still, he said that he wants those who haven’t spoken up to do so.

“I want to have a difference in perspective from different people,” he added. “I want to have input from everybody.”

In the end, about 21 percent of the population in Cloverdale turned out to vote in these municipal elections.