STARKVILLE — Marvell Howard and Dennis Daniels were in double overtime. The trophy: District 3 supervisor.
Unofficial results released Wednesday by Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerk Angie McGinnis had Howard retaining his position by four votes.
Affidavit votes were still being certified in the race Wednesday afternoon, the only one in Oktibbeha County that was still in limbo. Howard, an incumbent who was seeking his second term, ended election night Tuesday down by a single vote after traditional and absentee ballots were counted.
Howard said 29 of the 47 affidavit ballots were certified and he won the election by 11 votes.
Daniels said he’d seen the unofficial numbers but wouldn’t concede the race until official numbers are released.
“I went to bed last night (Tuesday) trailing by 26, woke up this morning leading by 1,” Daniels said. “This has been nerve-wracking. Angie said she would have it certified tomorrow.”
Four years ago, Howard clinched the office by 13 votes after two failed attempts.
Howard is currently president of the board, and should the official tally remain the same he’ll return with fellow incumbent Supervisors Daniel Jackson (District 4) and Orlando Trainer (District 5).
“I think with us returning, that keeps a certain level of cohesiveness with the board with things we’ve been working on,” said Howard, noting a second draft of a vicious dog ordinance and efforts to streamline road repairs. “I think both new guys will be able to step in and get right on board.”
District 1 Supervisor Carl Clardy, like Howard, went to bed Tuesday with his race still undetermined. Absentee and affidavit counts saw the third-term Democrat ousted by John P. Montgomery Jr., who edged Clardy by 90 votes.
Clardy said the board had come under fire by voters for tax increases, including the $27.5 million OCH Regional Medical Center bond issue passed in 2008.
“It was the biggest thing I heard about,” Clardy said. “But the people voted it in, and we caught flack on it. But I thought we made a lot of progress over the last four years, getting the hospital bond issue passed, the 911 re-addressing and building the county school offices.
“In the end, I’m grateful to the people for allowing me to serve them.”
Montgomery, a Starkville firefighter by day, hopes to spearhead economic development similar to what’s been done in Lowndes County. Montgomery acknowledged a vast difference in infrastructure to support large industry between the two counties but said the county needs to make a significant investment in improving power and water capacity.
“Starkville has outgrown Columbus without our (Mississippi State University) students,” Montgomery said. “To say we can’t compete with them and their industry is selling our self short. Can we do it now, I don’t think so. Can we in the future, yes. With the proper infrastructure and steps to take, then we can compete with Columbus in anything, retail and industry.”
Daniels believes Cornerstone Park, located near the Highway 25 bypass, can become what the Industrial Aerospace Park in Lowndes has become. In May, Lowndes supervisors approved the purchase of 857 acres at $6.4 million to expand the park.
“It’s an attractive spot because they’ve put themselves in that spot, by investing,” Daniels said. “When I’ve been out campaigning, a lot of people have said how disappointed they are over the way the board has handled economic development.”
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