Lewisville Leader > News
Lewisville: Ueckert elected mayor; Gorena, Gilmore in runoff for Place 4
BY DAN EAKIN, Staff Writer
Dean Ueckert was elected mayor of Lewisville by almost a 2-1 margin in Saturday’s Lewisville City Council election, but voters will have to wait until June 13 to learn whether John Gorena or TJ Gilmore will serve in Place 4.
Ueckert received a total of 1,314 votes, including 761 early votes. He will replace Gene Carey, who has served as mayor for the past nine years, after the votes are canvassed at a regular meeting of the city council Monday night.
Winston Edmondson Jr. received 683 votes, including 355 in early voting, in the mayor race. Ueckert received 63.63 percent of the total votes and Edmondson received 33.08 percent.
After the unofficial totals were in Saturday night, Ueckert said, “I want to thank all of the people of Lewisville who took time to come out and vote. I also want to thank my supporters. I am honored by their devotion to me and their trust in me that I will always do what is right for the city of Lewisville. My door is always open and I will always work with the people of Lewisville to help make Lewisville a better city.”
Edmondson said, "There are so many individuals that supported me during this campaign in various ways. I wish I could thank you all by name. I appreciate each and every one of you. I'd like to invite you to join me as I continue to scrutinize the decisions and values of our mayor and city council. I'll continue to ask "Why?" and "Why not?" when it comes to how we address tough issues, like the day labor solicitation at Huffines Plaza.
“After all,” he continued, “giving Old Town and Mill Street an aesthetic face lift without addressing our illegal alien problem is like, to borrow a line from another big election, 'putting lipstick on a pig'. If, in three years, we have traveled further down this road of inaction, then I will once again offer myself as an alternative to Lewisville's status quo. In the meantime, we still have an opportunity to put John Gorena, a man that understands the risks of doing nothing, on the city council in his runoff election. Cast your vote and let your voice be heard."
Brandon L. Bertrand, who had unofficially withdrawn from the race, received 68 votes, including 35 in early voting. His total was 3.29 percent.
In the Place 4 council race, Gorena received 875 votes, including 468 in early voting, or 44.26 percent. Gilmore received 577 votes, including 348 in early voting, or 29.19 percent. Margie Rochelle received 525 votes, including 304 in early voting, or 26.56 percent.
Gorena also thanked those who voted for him and those who worked in his campaign in various ways.
“However,” he said, “It isn’t over yet. We need to continue working, and we need all 875 who voted for me to come and do so again on June 13, as well as others.”
Rochelle expressed her gratitude to all who campaigned for her and who voted for her.
“I am completely throwing my support to TJ Gilmore,” she said. “We have the same ideas and values concerning the future of Lewisville.”
Gilmore said, “I am excited and pleased to be in the runoff. I am looking forward to meeting more folks and helping them to understand what the issues really are. I also want to thank Margie for her hard work and for the fact that she is now supporting me.”
Early voting will be at Lewisville City Hall and the Municipal Annex located at Main Street and Civic Circle, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 1-5, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 8-9. Election Day voting will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 13 at city hall, municipal annex, and Memorial Park. During early voting, voters may vote at either location. However, on Election Day, voters are required to vote in their own polling location.
Anyone registered to vote in the city of Lewisville is eligible to vote in the runoff election, whether or not they voted in the May 9 election.
Carey, who had endorsed Ueckert as his successor, said, “Dean and I think a lot alike.”
Carey served on the Park Board from 1989 to 1993, on the city council from 1993 to 1999, and as mayor from 2000 to 2009. He is the city’s longest tenured mayor.
Asked what the greatest accomplishments were while he was serving as a council member and as mayor, Carey said, “The hiring of Claude King as city manager in the late 1990s. It is so critical that a city council hire a city manager who is easy to work with and can do a good job. We can always trust Claude to make the right decisions and do what is best for the city.”
Carey also said he is proud that the new city hall was dedicated in 2003 and that his name is on the building as mayor.
Also, he said he is glad that passenger rail service got well on track for Lewisville during his tenure.
As for his future, Carey said, “I may get involved with the city again later, but for now, I am going to rest for a while. You never know the future. Twenty years ago, if someone had said I was going to serve on the council and as mayor, I wouldn’t have believed them.”
The city will sponsor a reception for Carey from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 11, in the Community Room of the Municipal Annex at Main Street and Civic Circle.
Ueckert received a total of 1,314 votes, including 761 early votes. He will replace Gene Carey, who has served as mayor for the past nine years, after the votes are canvassed at a regular meeting of the city council Monday night.
Winston Edmondson Jr. received 683 votes, including 355 in early voting, in the mayor race. Ueckert received 63.63 percent of the total votes and Edmondson received 33.08 percent.
After the unofficial totals were in Saturday night, Ueckert said, “I want to thank all of the people of Lewisville who took time to come out and vote. I also want to thank my supporters. I am honored by their devotion to me and their trust in me that I will always do what is right for the city of Lewisville. My door is always open and I will always work with the people of Lewisville to help make Lewisville a better city.”
Edmondson said, "There are so many individuals that supported me during this campaign in various ways. I wish I could thank you all by name. I appreciate each and every one of you. I'd like to invite you to join me as I continue to scrutinize the decisions and values of our mayor and city council. I'll continue to ask "Why?" and "Why not?" when it comes to how we address tough issues, like the day labor solicitation at Huffines Plaza.
“After all,” he continued, “giving Old Town and Mill Street an aesthetic face lift without addressing our illegal alien problem is like, to borrow a line from another big election, 'putting lipstick on a pig'. If, in three years, we have traveled further down this road of inaction, then I will once again offer myself as an alternative to Lewisville's status quo. In the meantime, we still have an opportunity to put John Gorena, a man that understands the risks of doing nothing, on the city council in his runoff election. Cast your vote and let your voice be heard."
Brandon L. Bertrand, who had unofficially withdrawn from the race, received 68 votes, including 35 in early voting. His total was 3.29 percent.
In the Place 4 council race, Gorena received 875 votes, including 468 in early voting, or 44.26 percent. Gilmore received 577 votes, including 348 in early voting, or 29.19 percent. Margie Rochelle received 525 votes, including 304 in early voting, or 26.56 percent.
Gorena also thanked those who voted for him and those who worked in his campaign in various ways.
“However,” he said, “It isn’t over yet. We need to continue working, and we need all 875 who voted for me to come and do so again on June 13, as well as others.”
Rochelle expressed her gratitude to all who campaigned for her and who voted for her.
“I am completely throwing my support to TJ Gilmore,” she said. “We have the same ideas and values concerning the future of Lewisville.”
Gilmore said, “I am excited and pleased to be in the runoff. I am looking forward to meeting more folks and helping them to understand what the issues really are. I also want to thank Margie for her hard work and for the fact that she is now supporting me.”
Early voting will be at Lewisville City Hall and the Municipal Annex located at Main Street and Civic Circle, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 1-5, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 8-9. Election Day voting will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 13 at city hall, municipal annex, and Memorial Park. During early voting, voters may vote at either location. However, on Election Day, voters are required to vote in their own polling location.
Anyone registered to vote in the city of Lewisville is eligible to vote in the runoff election, whether or not they voted in the May 9 election.
Carey, who had endorsed Ueckert as his successor, said, “Dean and I think a lot alike.”
Carey served on the Park Board from 1989 to 1993, on the city council from 1993 to 1999, and as mayor from 2000 to 2009. He is the city’s longest tenured mayor.
Asked what the greatest accomplishments were while he was serving as a council member and as mayor, Carey said, “The hiring of Claude King as city manager in the late 1990s. It is so critical that a city council hire a city manager who is easy to work with and can do a good job. We can always trust Claude to make the right decisions and do what is best for the city.”
Carey also said he is proud that the new city hall was dedicated in 2003 and that his name is on the building as mayor.
Also, he said he is glad that passenger rail service got well on track for Lewisville during his tenure.
As for his future, Carey said, “I may get involved with the city again later, but for now, I am going to rest for a while. You never know the future. Twenty years ago, if someone had said I was going to serve on the council and as mayor, I wouldn’t have believed them.”
The city will sponsor a reception for Carey from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 11, in the Community Room of the Municipal Annex at Main Street and Civic Circle.
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