Voters settle sales tax question; PTC mayor to be decided Dec. 3

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    While Peachtree City voters filled three city council seats in last week’s election, the mayor’s race has yet to be settled since none of the five candidates won more than 50 percent of the vote.

    That sets up the Dec. 3 runoff election between current Councilwoman Vanessa Fleisch and former Mayor Harold Logsdon.

    Countywide, voters rejected a sales tax proposal that would have funded stormwater infrastructure projects in the unincorporated area. County voters did sign off on a referendum that will allow Sunday sales of alcohol by the drink in the unincorporated county, which passed with 65.4 percent in support.

    The county has only three restaurants that sell alcohol by the drink: Frank’s at the Old Mill, Italian Oven and Whitewater Country Club, and Whitewater is the only location open on Sunday, county officials said.

    In Tyrone, challenger Pota Coston narrowly lost to incumbent Ken Matthews for the Post 3 council seat. Coston missed out by seven votes, as Matthews prevailed 659 to 653.

    In the Peachtree City mayor’s race, Fleisch had the best showing, with 1,849 votes for 39.2 percent of the vote to Logsdon’s 1,291 votes, good for 27.4 percent. Former Councilman George Dienhart finished in third with 20.3 percent, followed by political newcomer Ryan Jolly at 7.6 percent and incumbent Mayor Don Haddix who got 5 percent.

    Despite leaving the mayor’s race hanging, Peachtree City voters were decisive in filling the other three council posts in the election. Kim Learnard won her Post 3 reelection over Haddix’s wife Cathy with 85.7 percent of the vote, former police captain Terry Ernst beat Stephanie Franz for the Post 4 seat with 65 percent of the vote and retiree Mike King pulled in 70 percent of the vote in a three-way race to win the Post 2 seat.

    King is expected to be sworn in next week as he will be serving the just over two years remaining on the Post 2 seat that was vacated by Dienhart so he could run for mayor.

    Voters in Woolsey gathered to settle the tie recorded last year on a referendum to allow Sunday alcohol package sales. This time it failed with 16 voters saying “no” against 12 who voted yes.