Two New Faces on the Water Board

Two seats on the Cedar Key Water and Sewer Board will be occupied by newcomers at the next Board meeting. A third seat will continue to be occupied by incumbent Dottie Haldeman who ran unopposed in Tuesday's election Challenger Maurice Hendrix handily defeated long-time incumbent Frances Nesbitt. First time candidate Chris Cowart prevailed over Christopher Reynolds, who also ran his first race. Maurice Hendrix drew 181 votes to Frances Nesbitt's 104. Chris Cowart received 172 votes to Christopher Reynolds' 116 votes. The margins of victory in both contests were great enough that the 25 absentee and 4 provisional ballots could not have been decisive and were therefore not counted. A total of 293 ballots were cast.
(Correction: After Hendrix and Cowart were declared winners the absentee and provisional ballots were counted. The final tallies were: Hendrix 194 versus Nesbitt 117, and Cowart 189 versus Reynolds 127.)

Chris Cowart with wife Molly and daughter Grace after the election.

Maurice Hendrix, new Water Board Member.

Immediately after the election results were announced, Chris Cowart told Cedar Key News that his first priority is to be certain that the proposed new water treatment system will provide quality drinking water. Other issues that face the Water Board are prioritizing and financing a $2.9 million capital improvement plan. The largest item on the capital improvement plan is $450,000 to provide fire protection to the Airport area.