News

Mills River, Fletcher, Saluda mayors draw challengers

By Lightning Reports, Published: July 17, 2017

This year's city elections are set.

Three area mayors will have opponents in the Nov. 7 municipal elections in Henderson and Polk counties while a fourth candidate filed to run for the Hendersonville City Council as the 2017 qualifying period closed at noon Friday.

Diane  Rudisill Caldwell, who served on the council in the mid 1990s, filed for one of two seats on the council. Incumbents Jeff Miller and Jerry Smith and challenger Debbie O'Neal Roundtree also filed for council.

In Saluda Heath Dale Potter filed to run against incumbent Mayor Fred Baisden and in Fletcher Rod Whiteside is challenging Mayor Bill Moore. Mills River Mayor Larry Freeman also drew an opponent, Brian David Caskey. Under the town charter the Mills River mayor is elected by council members from among the five board members. An open seat vacated by Shanon Gonce attracted three candidates — Chae Trantham Davis, James Smith Humphrey III and Nathan David Garnett.

This year's election is the first one in Mills River since the town board enacted a 12-cent property tax increase to pay for enhanced sheriff's office coverage of the town. All three seats are contested.

The candidate filings in all fell short of the number that would have triggered a primary election

Here is the list of offices and candidates who have filed to run for election in the City of Hendersonville, the Village of Flat Rock, the Town of Fletcher, the Town of Laurel Park, Town of Mills River and the City of Saluda.

CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE
For City Council: Jerry Smith Jr. and Jeff Miller, incumbents, and Debbie Roundtree and Diane Rudisill Caldwell.
For Mayor: Barbara Volk, incumbent.

CITY OF SALUDA
For Commissioner: Mark Oxtoby and Carolyn Ashburn, incumbents, and Paul Marion.
For Mayor: Fred Baisden, incumbent; Heath Dale Potter.

TOWN OF FLETCHER
For District 1: Sheila Franklin, incumbent.
For District 4: Eddie Henderson, incumbent.
For Mayor: William Moore, incumbent, and Rod Whiteside.

TOWN OF LAUREL PARK
For Council: Nancy McKinley and Paul Hansen, incumbents.

TOWN OF MILLS RIVER
For District 1: Larry Freeman, incumbent, and Brian Caskey.
For District 2: Paul Meadows Jr. and Billy Johnston, incumbent.
For District 3: Chae Trantham Davis, James Smith Humphrey III and Nathan David Garnett.

VILLAGE OF FLAT ROCK
For District 1: Sheryl Jamerson, incumbent.
For District 2: Paige Posey.
For District 3: Albert Gooch, incumbent.