Billings elected mayor by landslide

RED OAK — By an overwhelming majority, Bill Billings was elected Red Oak’s new mayor Tuesday.

Billings received 735 of 1,331 votes, or 55 percent, winning all three wards in a race that featured five candidates.

Larry Brandstetter finished second with less than half of Billings’ total with 347 votes, followed by former 8-term mayor James Johnson with 154 votes.

Bill Haufle finished fourth with 76 votes, followed by Jeff Van Scoy with 17.

In the races for Red Oak City Council, Scott Keith defeated longtime Ward 1 Councilman Roger Waggener 149-128. John Haidsiak finished third with 84 votes.

In Ward 3, Larry Barnett received 442 votes, followed by Steven Fenn with 111.

Jeanice Lester won the At-Large seat with 791 votes. Dennis Jones received 361 and Russell Williams finished with 125.

In other contested races, current Villisca Councilman Andy Crussell was elected mayor in a very close three-candidate race with 94 votes. Adam Wainwright was second with 88 votes, followed by current mayor Larry Figgins with 77.

Lee Haidsiak, Marilyn Halda and Marsha Shepherd were elected to the Villisca council with 225, 190 and 153 votes, respectively. Rex Galloway finished fourth with 120 votes.

In Grant, Andrea Holldorf was overwhelmingly elected mayor over Laurenda Mifflin 41-6.

In the race for Grant City Council, Nancy Taylor, Lyn Sliger, Michael Amos, Greg Ligthner and Michael Austin Ford were elected.

Taylor received the most votes with 41, and Ford had the fewest of the five with 26. Brenda Wendt finished sixth with 25 votes, followed by John Geifing with 22 votes.

And finally, four Coburg Council candidates will have to draw lots to determine whose elected. Tammi Redd, Amy Eggleston, Julianna Schooling and Calvin Myers all received four write-in votes for the three vacant seats. Sandy Gray and Ellen Houser received three and two write-in votes in the election that had no declared candidates.

Check back later Wednesday for a more complete story, including quotes from Red Oak’s new mayor, Bill Billings.