Slimantics: As good as it gets?
Slim Smith
About halfway through the Columbus Exchange Club’s candidate forum Thursday, my thoughts turned to a line from one of my favorite movies, “As Good as It Gets.”
In the scene, a character is explaining to a neighbor a crisis he is facing and seeks his advice. But he soon grows frustrated by the response he is getting.
“I’m out here drowning and you’re on the bank describing the water,” he laments.
That was the impression I took away from Thursday’s forum. The five city council candidates who participated Pierre Beard, Kori Bridges, Rusty Greene, Kallie Phillips and Marty Turner along with Jacqueline DiCicco, who has no general election opponent and will be seated as the Ward 6 councilman on July 1 all were able to “describe the water.”
Council candidates highlight issues facing city at forum Exchange Club moderator Jerry Fortenberry leads a question-and-answer session with the five city council candidates who turned out for Thursday’s candidate forum Ward 4 challenger Marty Turner, Ward 4 incumbent Pierre Beard, Ward 3 candidate Rusty Greene, Ward 1 candidate Kallie Phillips and Ward 3 candidate Kori Bridges. Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff
Put charitably, Thursday’s Columbus Exchange Club meeting/candidate forum was an example of brevity being the soul of wit.
Candidates for city council races were given five minutes each to speak, which turned out to be more than enough time in every case as they spoke mostly in generalities about the issues facing the city and their plans to address them.
Turner beats Douglas in certified Ward 4 primary
By Dispatch Staff Report 4 hours ago
Marty Turner
Former Columbus councilman Marty Turner has been certified as the winner of the April 6 Democratic primary for Ward 4.
The election results were certified Friday with three affidavit votes added to the April 6 totals. All three votes went to Turner, who finished with 94 votes to 90 for his challenger, Pat Douglas.
Turner, who served on the city council from 2013-17, will now meet incumbent Pierre Beard, running as an independent, in the June 8 general election.
The June 8 election features the mayor’s race between incumbent Democrat Robert Smith and independent challengers Montrell Coburn and Keith Gaskin.
DiCicco defeats Gavin in Ward 6 election; Incumbents cruise in Starkville
By Isabelle Altman and Zack Plair 2 hours ago
Starting July 1, Ward 6 will have a new representative on the Columbus City Council.
Republican Jacqueline DiCicco unseated current councilman and Vice Mayor Bill Gavin in a landslide, 301-114, in the Republican primary for Ward 6. With no other candidates in the race, DiCicco will be unchallenged in the general election on June 8.
The Democratic primary for Ward 4 Columbus council seat is undecided with a 91-90 margin and up to three affidavit ballots still to be counted.
Former Ward 4 Councilman Marty Turner leads Pat Fisher Douglas by just one vote. Per state law, the Registrar’s Office must wait five days after the election to consider any mail-in ballots that come in, in addition to the three affidavits, meaning the race will not be decided for at least five days.
DiCicco defeats Gavin to claim Ward 6 council seat Ward 4 remains undecided; Stewart wins Democratic primary in Ward 1 Jacqueline DiCicco
Starting July 1, Ward 6 will have a new representative on the Columbus City Council.
Republican Jacqueline DiCicco unseated incumbent councilman and Vice Mayor Bill Gavin in a landslide, 301-114, in the Republican primary. With no other candidates in the race, DiCicco will be unchallenged in the general election on June 8.
“I’m just overwhelmed with the numbers,” DiCicco told The Dispatch after the final votes were tallied at the Columbus Municipal Complex Tuesday night. “I am just overwhelmed, that’s all I can say.”