by Ivan Foley
Landmark editor
Aces are high.
That was one of the most important ground rules established when the method for breaking the tie in an election for a Weston alderman spot was discussed.
The agreed-upon method for breaking the tie was to have a drawing from a deck of cards. So the two men who tied in the April 6 election for the ward one alderman spot--Brandon Kohake and Patrick Farnan--met at Weston City Hall in an open-to-the-public card drawing.
“The high card is the winner. Aces are high,” Kim Kirby, city clerk, had said in advance of the event.
The drawing, with Kirby serving as official shuffler and ‘dealer,’ was held in front of a smattering of city officials and family. Kirby opened a brand new deck of cards and an agreed-upon number of shuffles occurred.
Kohake drew first. He didn’t immediately turn his card over. Then it was Farnan’s turn. He pulled a card and showed it to be the three of spades. Kohake then displayed his winning card--the ace of spades.
Just that quickly, the suspense was over. Kohake is the new alderman, replacing Lynn Harvey, who had also been a candidate for the spot in the April 6 election.
“I”m very excited,” Kohake told The Landmark, indicating he is anxious to get going in his new position.
Kohake is a police officer for a department in the metropolitan Kansas City area. He said his superiors have prevented him from identifying for what department he works, to prevent any appearance that the department was making a political endorsement.
As a consolation, Fannon was awarded the deck of cards.
In the April 6 vote, Kohake and Farnan each gathered 54 votes. Harvey had 20.
Immediately following the card drawing, Mayor Greg Hoffman presented Harvey with a certificate acknowledging his work as an alderman for the city. |
