110 W. New York Ave., DeLand, FL
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But controversy persists in City Commission race
By Pat Hatfield
posted Nov 9, 2008 - 6:05:43pm
UPDATE MONDAY, NOV. 10 – A couple of hours after Vernon Burton got the nod in the Zone 2 race, narrowly defeating incumbent Alan "Cookie" Cooke, another Nov. 7 recount in the Zone 4 race left challenger Cameron Lane the winner over incumbent Lou Benton — also by a difference of three votes.
The final tally, after re-scanning and examining ballots, was 686 votes for Lane, versus 683 votes for Benton. The final tally gave Lane one less vote than was counted on election night.
The two men shook hands and wished each other well after the results were announced.
Meanwhile, the controversy over the Burton-Cooke race hasn't gone away.
"There's not a doubt in my mind, the post cards made a difference. Out of 300 post cards, some of those people don't know me or Burton," Cooke said, and he's sure the cards swayed some of those people, who may not have realized Cooke is a Democrat, too.
County Council Andy Kelly said his comment that the post cards may not have made a difference doesn't mean sending the post cards was all right — it wasn't, he said.
Partisan politics, even with the Democratic Party, should not intrude into nonpartisan municipal races, and the party should not endorse one Democratic candidate over another.
Kelly said he believes Lake Helen Democrats know all three parties involved — Cooke, Burton and Giorno, and the cards may have had little impact on the race.
***
As the sun set Friday, Nov. 7, Volusia County Elections Supervisor Ann McFall declared Vernon Burton the winner of a close race for the Lake Helen City Commission Zone 2 seat.
The recount that ended about 5 p.m. Friday showed 1,495 ballots were cast by Lake Helen residents eligible to vote in the Zone 2 race.
But 92 of these voters didn’t mark a Zone 2 choice. Of the 1,403 who did, McFall said, 703 chose Burton. The incumbent, Alan “Cookie” Cooke, got 700 votes.
On Nov. 4, the preliminary result in the Burton-Cooke race had showed a total of 1,497 ballots cast, with 92 of those voters failing to mark a choice in the race. The original outcome was 705 votes for Burton and 700 for Cooke.
But even with the recount final, it appeared an argument over the Democratic Executive Committee chairman’s endorsement of Burton would persist, with Cooke saying he planned to file a complaint with the state Democratic Party.
Other recounts: Lane, Wagner win
The Nov. 4 results were agonizingly close for all four men seeking two seats on the Lake Helen City Commission — close enough to trigger an automatic recount.
In the first preliminary tally, City Commission Zone 4 candidate Cameron Lane had three more votes than incumbent Commissioner Lou Benton. The vote was 687 for Lane and 684 for Benton.
After the recount, Lane still won, although by 686 to 683.
Elections officials also recounted the close race for Council County District 2, which ended Nov. 4 with 18,450 votes for Joshua Wagner and 18,373 votes for Nancy Epps. The difference of 77 votes was a 0.2-percent margin. Anything smaller than a half-percent triggers a recount.
On Saturday, the Elections Office declared Wagner the winner after the recount was finished. The second count was 18,392 for Wagner and 18,304 for Epps.
During the long recount process, the candidates remained optimistic. Those who were ahead hoped to remain ahead; those who were behind hoped something would change.
Wagner watched as Canvassing Board members Judge David Beck, County Chair Frank Bruno and County Council Vice Chair Joie Alexander examined provisional ballots Nov. 5. Those ballots could make a difference in his race.
Lake Helen candidates Burton, Cooke, Benton and Lane watched the recount, huddled with Lake Helen Mayor Joan Duffy, City Clerk Nancy Wilson, City Commissioner Ann Robbins, former Mayor Mark Shuttleworth, and others from the small town.
Controversy over postcard
The recount likely will not erase all the controversy over the Lake Helen Zone 2 race, because of a postcard mailed to Lake Helen residents by the chairman of the Volusia County Democratic Executive Committee.
Both Zone 2 candidates, Cooke and Burton, are Democrats.
But a postcard sent by Volusia County Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Phil Giorno recommends Democrats choose Burton.
Incumbent Cooke wasn’t happy about that.
The card states, “This race is extremely important for the citizens of Lake Helen and the Democratic Party.
“Vernon Burton is a Democrat we can trust to tell the truth on important issues facing Lake Helen. I ask you as a loyal Democrat to send this message to our community.”
The card urges votes for Burton.
It also states, “Paid Political Advertisement Paid for by the Volusia County Democratic Executive Committee independently of any other committee, not approved by any candidate. Phil Giorno Chairman,” and lists a Lake Helen address.
Cooke said Giorno mailed the postcard because, when Giorno was a paid staff member for the Volusia County Soil and Water Conservation District, Cooke, an elected Soil and Water supervisor, held Giorno’s feet to the fire about his job performance.
Giorno was forced from his $47,500-a-year job in January 2007, because of money-management concerns.
Giorno said his decision had nothing to do with the Soil and Water Conservation Board.
Rather, Giorno said, “Burton is the much better candidate.”
He described Burton as a Democratic precinct committee member and “more involved in the party.”
Giorno said he didn’t consult other members of the Democratic Executive Committee before mailing the card.
“I can endorse anyone I want. I’m the chairman,” Giorno said.
Giorno said he did the same thing in the 2006 race between Cooke and Burton.
Cooke feels that, this time, Giorno’s action may have cost him a close election, because voters who received the card might have thought he was not a Democrat.
County Council Member Andy Kelly, who is also a Democrat, said party leaders shouldn’t officially endorse one Democratic candidate over another.
“It’s not an issue about the two candidates,” Kelly said. “It sends the wrong signal, and it’s confusing.”
But Kelly discounted the postcard’s effect on the election. He noted 78.2 percent of Lake Helen’s registered voters went to the polls, in a town where residents know their issues.
“That postcard may not have meant a thing,” Kelly said.
Dr. T. Wayne Bailey, a past chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee and a party leader, said he didn’t think Giorno broke any committee bylaws.
“It’s a judgment call,” he said.
Another issue is the fact the Lake Helen City Commission race is nonpartisan.
Former Lake Helen Mayor Mark Shuttleworth said Giorno should not have intruded into a Lake Helen municipal race.
Party money should be used to help candidates in partisan races, instead of interfering in a nonpartisan race between two candidates who both happen to be Democrats, said Shuttleworth, who also is a Democrat.
Shuttleworth also plans to make a complaint to the Florida Democratic Party, he said Nov. 7.
Candidate Burton, the beneficiary of Giorno’s support, said he didn’t know postcards were being mailed until he received one a few days before the election.
Reader Comments
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Regards,
Waldo
Jim, sound like you have experience in municipal government!!! It might be in our best interest that you run for public office. Instead of complaining you could be a problem solver. Mayor Morris, Commissioner Morris. Morris for PLDRC. Has a nice ring to it!!
I really don’t see that happening, sounds like you are more comfortable sitting at home launching e-mail grenades from your computer. This will me my last comment on this subject.
Regards,
Waldo
What should be a part time job seems to have morphed into a very highly-paid full-time position, yet no one knows what he does as no one was trained to take over during his six-month hiatus. Consequently, some of the Commissioners nearly fell over themselves to beg him to return, thus breaking a promise made to the voters only a few short months ago.
A full time planner is not necessary in a town the size of Lake Helen, especially when there is NO development. The East Central Florida Regional Planning Council is there assist small towns with a comprehensive plan. The adminstrative duties could be done by a senior clerk or adminstrative assistant.
Mr. Findell's salary plus benefits breaks down to $500 a day. Even the $100 per hour rate charged by some professional planning firms would still be less expensive as they would work far fewer hours on an "as needed" basis.
Do I feel betrayed by the Commission's about face in the employment of Mr. Findell, yes I do and the ballot box is my answer.
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