Tancak over Holland for Cloverdale Third Ward nomination

Even as there was a change with the passing of Gary Bennington in January, Cloverdale’s Third Ward will have a new Republican nomination.

Brandon Tancak, who was introduced in March as the Cloverdale Town Council’s newest member in Bennington’s at-large spot, defeated incumbent Cindy Holland in Tuesday’s primary. He garnered 123 votes to Holland’s 113.

Saying that Bennington’s seat on the council is now an “unknown” with his nomination, Tancak said he and the town were awaiting guidance on how it could be filled later. As Tancak would take over from Holland at the end of the year, he would as such transition out of his current fill-in role.

Regardless, Tancak said winning Ward 3 was “exciting,” adding that he believed more people in the town are “getting involved and paying attention to what’s going on.”

Aside from he and his family residing in Ward 3, Tancak is a 2002 graduate of Cloverdale High School. Being local, he said he has noticed a gradual decline of business in the town, as well as student enrollment. He, as such, saw an opportunity to himself get involved and help change the town’s direction on the council.

He honed in on Cloverdale’s proximity to Interstate 70 and thriving business in a municipality like Monrovia as why Cloverdale should prepare for the long term in terms of infrastructure and new business.

“From what I know, (the town council members) genuinely have the town’s best interests at heart on growing and bringing in the new businesses,” Tancak said. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t be growing. We shouldn’t be stalemate. We shouldn’t be declining. It’s our time to shine and put Cloverdale back where it needs to be and continue to rise from there.”

As for the primary, Tancak said it was good to know that people trust him to be on the council and to get to work.

Meanwhile, Holland did not return calls for comment from the Banner Graphic following the tallies being announced.

In another position in Cloverdale on the ballot, at-large town council member Greg Jay ran unopposed and garnered 214 votes.