by Ivan Foley
Landmark editor
In general, it was a successful election on Tuesday for incumbents in municipal races in Platte County.
In Platte City, it was a good night for at least two of those who currently hold elective office.
Incumbent Tony Paolillo held off a challenge from former alderman Ron Porter in the race for alderman in Ward 2. Paolillo, who currently serves as president of the board, received 80 votes to 59 for Porter.
Charles “Cookie” Cook, who was appointed by Mayor Frank Offutt, handily defeated a challenge from Lee Roy Van Lew, another former alderman, in Ward 1. Cook won by a margin of 61 to 14.
Offutt was unopposed in his reelection bid for mayor. Debbie Kirkpatrick did not have an opponent in her reelection for the full term Ward 3 alderman spot.
Also in Platte City, things are still up in the air in a spot for Ward 3 alderman, one year unexpired term. No candidates’ names appeared on the ballot. Kelly Goen, 43, had announced her intention to seek the post as a write-in candidate. The seat is currently held by the appointed John Higgins, who was not actively seeking election to the post.
The Platte County Board of Elections reports a total of 30 write in votes were cast for the spot. It is believed most, if not all, of those will be going to either Goen or Higgins. The board of elections will canvass the ballots Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m., at which time it will be determined who won the seat.
Voter turnout in Platte City was 9.7%.
In Parkville, incumbent Ward 3 alderman Jeffrey Bay was reelected. Bay drew 55 votes to 26 for challenger Brian Atkinson. That was Parkville’s only contested race. Voter turnout in Parkville was 6.9%.
At Riverside, Kathy Rose won reelection as mayor. Rose pulled 327 votes (67%) to 160 (33%) for Mike Fuller.
Also at Riverside, Ron Super won the battle for alderman in Ward 1 with 121 votes to 77 for Deana Winter.
Voter turnout in Riverside was an impressive 28.2%.
Things are interesting in the election of an alderman in Weston’s Ward 1. Patrick Farnan and Brandon Kohake both finished with 54 votes to 20 for Lynn Harvey. If the tie still stands after ballots are canvassed later this week, the tie could be broken by lot.
“The city clerk will have to contact the two candidates who are tied to see if they want to determine the outcome by drawing lots. If so, they will then have to agree on when and where to do that.
“If they can’t agree they want to draw lots, then the city would have to have a run-off election between those two candidates,” explained Wendy Flanigan of the Platte County Board of Elections.
All expenses for that special run-off election would be the responsibility of the city of Weston, Flanigan said.
“First the city clerk needs to talk to the candidates to get a feeling of what they want to do,” she said.
At Lake Waukomis, Bill Massock, former police chief for Platte City, won election as marshall. Massock had 254 votes to 139 for Benny Bigler.
For a summary of city and school contested election results, see a listing on The Landmark’s front page.
For complete listing of results including uncontested elections, check the Platte County Board of Elections web site at http://www.co.platte.mo.us/elections/
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