THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 - 20, 2019 • Page 9
TURE is
Photos by Carla Parker
Lftni Continued From Page 1
During his victory speech, Lary said Stonecrest’s
future is bright.
“We have so much potential, we have so
many great things that can and will happen if we
just work collectively,” Lary said.
Lary also extended an “olive branch”
to Adoma and Hill to work together for the
betterment of the city.
“We’ve said this before in the initial
development of the city—those that ran for office
that didn’t win, that’s OK. I want to give both of
them a personal invitation to actually come and
work with the city,” Lary said. “There is some
talent there. I want to extend an olive branch
to both of them so that we can use that talent,
whichever ones or one, that want to extend that
talent in the city of Stonecrest and just continue
to make the place better to live because that’s
what all of us want anyway.”
Lary said he will also work with residents
who didn’t vote for him.
“The clear thing that I and our team really
want from this is don’t be mad anymore,” he said.
“We are the best city on the planet. Sometimes
it’s just not your turn and that’s ok, it’s going to
be all right. But it’s my turn now, and everything
is going to be just fine.”
In the special election for the District 5
council seat, Tammy Grimes and Dave Marcus
are heading to a runoff election after neither
candidate received more than 50 percent of votes
in the six-person race. Grimes received a plurality
of votes with 45.38 percent (698), while Marcus
(16.64 percent/256) edged out Barbara Hall
(16.25 percent/250) for second by six votes.
The runoff election will be held Dec. 3.
GREEN
Continued From Page 1
group of parents and residents
whose mission is to improve
community engagement and
education for DCSD.
According to Pringle,
Restore DeKalb members
believe Green “didn’t know
what he was getting himself
into” taking the job as DCSD
superintendent.
In a second vote during
the meeting, the school
board voted to approve
Ramona Tyson interim
superintendent. According
to DCSD officials, Tyson
has served the school district
for 32 years as a classroom
teacher, administrator, deputy
chief superintendent, interim
superintendent, chief of staff to
three superintendents and chief
administrator to the board of
education. Tyson plans to retire
June 30, 2020.
“I have my opinions,” said
Pringle. “I wish her well too.”
“With [Green’s] immediate
departure, we have the utmost
confidence in [Tyson] serving
as the interim superintendent,”
said Erwin. “The separation
agreement will have no
impact on our current
superintendent search, and
we are fully committed to an
open and transparent process,
as evidenced by our current
online survey and last week’s
community forums.”
DCSD began its search
for a new superintendent Oct.
7. The nationwide search is
being conducted by BWP
& Associates, and includes
engaging the community to
help determine needs and wants
in a new superintendent.
“As Restore DeKalb we’re
looking for someone to come
in and be transparent with the
community. Someone who can
build with the community,”
said Pringle.
ELECTION Continued From Page 1
statement that the focus now
shifts back to the General
Assembly.
“DeKalb’s State House
and Senate delegations must
craft legislation that can earn
the support of a majority of
each delegation, pass the
General Assembly, receive the
governor’s signature and then
be resubmitted to the voters,”
Thurmond said. “DeKalb needs
a strong ethics board. The
current board was rendered
dormant when the Supreme
Court upheld the decision that
the board’s appointment process
was unconstitutional.
“Until the legislature
cures the flaws in the current
legislation, we are in the
untenable position of operating
without an ethics board,”
Thurmond added. “This current
state of affairs is unacceptable.”
In Avondale Estates,
Jonathan Elmore will serve
as mayor for another four years
after defeating challenger Clai
Brown.
Elmore won the mayoral
race with 57.31 percent of
votes, while Brown received
42.50 percent. In the city
commissioner race, voters had
two slots to fill and elected Dee
Merriam (32.38 percent) and
incumbent Brian Fisher (27.01
percent).
In Chamblee, three city
council members ran for
reelection. Chamblee City
Council At Large member
Darron Kusman and District 2
Leslie Robson received enough
votes for another term, while
Thomas Hogan lost his District
3 seat.
Kusman beat Stephen
Watson receiving 1,044 votes
that represented 69.93 percent
of total votes. Watson received
436 votes that represent 29.20
percent of total votes. Robson
received 945 votes that represent
63 percent of total votes against
Shaun Lewis, who received 554
votes that represents 37 percent
of total votes.
Hogan—who has served as
a member of Chamblee’s city
council since 2008—lost to
Karen Lupton, who received
58 percent of votes compared
to Hogan’s 42 percent. Hogan
received 648 votes and Lupton
received 903 votes.
Clarkston residents voted for
three out of the six candidates
who ran for city council seats
and selected incumbent Awet
Eyasu with 23.92 percent of
votes, Debra Johnson with
18.50 percent of votes and
Laura Hopkins with 15.10
percent of votes. Incumbent
Andrea Cervone lost her
council seat after receiving
14.46 percent of votes.
In Decatur, voters
reelected Tony Powers to the
commissioner at large seat with
74.14 percent of votes, defeating
Christopher Gagnon (25.75
percent); George Dusenbury
(54.85 percent) defeated Erin
Braden (45.06 percent) in the
District 1 Post B commissioner
race; and Lesa Mayer won
the District 2 Post B seat with
72.88 percent of votes, defeating
Phillip Wiedower (27.02
percent).
Lithonia City
Councilwoman Shameka
Reynolds will be the new
mayor of the city after receiving
60.95 percent of votes, defeating
challenger Cindy Thomas
(39.05 percent). In the city
council race, voters had two
slots to fill and elected Darold
Honore Jr. (36.82 percent)
and Vanneriah Wynn (33.75
percent).
In Pine Lake, both Tracey
Brantley and Brandy Beavers
ran for the same open city
council seat. Brantley received
130 votes and Beavers received
128 votes.
Stone Mountain Mayor
Pro Tern Chakira Johnson
was reelected to her Post 3
council seat after receiving
55.94 percent of votes, beating
challenger Andrea Redmond
(44.06 percent). Post 1 and 2
council seats are heading to a
runoff on Dec. 3. Incumbent
Richard Mailman (29.54
percent) will be challenged
by Gina Stroud Cox (34.73
percent) for the Post 1 seat
and incumbent Bernie Waller
(30.18 percent) and Clint
Monroe (43.86 percent) will
face off for the Post 2 seat.
Tucker voters reelected
Bill Rosenfeld in the city
council District 1 Post 2 race
with 76.44 percent of votes,
defeating challenger Christine
Bloodworth (22.68 percent).
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