CAREFREE
– According to the unofficial results from the Maricopa
County Recorder’s Office, David Schwan received 784 votes
to David Burnell Smith’s 663 votes in last week’s runoff
election for a seat on Carefree Town Council.
“I
appreciate the support of the voters,” Schwan said on
Monday, adding the election showed him the council needs
to do a better job of communicating with the people.
“The
town is doing good work,” Schwan said. “But we’re not
doing a good job communicating that good work to the citizens.”
Smith
conceded victory to Schwan and congratulated him on his
win, saying it was a victory for the “good ol’ boys.”
“I’m
glad it’s over,” Smith said. “We worked hard. I did everything
I could. Obviously, Schwan did a little bit more.”
“There
are going to be some fairly substantial expenditures on
maintaining our arterial streets,” Schwan said, noting
both Tom Darlington Drive and Cave Creek Road are coming
due for improvements. “We need to start thinking how we’re
going to fund that major expenditure.”
Schwan
said he’s spoken to all town department heads and they
have facts and figures on what needs to be done in the
next few years. Schwan believes it’s time to get all those
department heads in the same room with town council and
put together one program to address the town’s needs over
the coming years.
Carefree
has 2,549 voters, indicating a turnout of 56.9 percent,
according to figures provided by Betsy Wise, Carefree
town clerk.
At
the special meeting to canvass the election on Tuesday,
Vice Mayor Wayne Fulcher said
he believes this was the highest turnout for a Carefree
election ever and congratulated town residents.
“This
really is a victory for the citizens of Carefree,” Mayor
Ed Morgan said, noting the contest was one of the most
heated in the town’s history.
“I
didn’t realize a seat on this council was worth as much
as Mr. Smith spent in losing a seat,” Morgan added.
According
to the campaign finance report filed with the town clerk
on May 1, Smith received $7,286 and spent more than $6,700.
Shwan recorded receipts of $1,964, but a political action
committee formed to aid in his election, Concerned Citizens
of Carefree, recorded $5,275 in receipts.
Town
Council voted 6‑0 to approve the May 15 election,
with Councilman Bob Coady absent.
