GRAVETTE — Melissa Smith, Gravette resident for 16 years and employed full-time at Northwest Arkansas Community College, defeated David Shields, resident for 35 years and a former city council member, for the Ward 1, Position 2 seat on the Gravette City Council.

In the Nov. 23 runoff election, Smith garnered 49 votes to 45 for Shields.

Smith is married to David Smith and is the mother of three children. She holds a 2-year degree in business administration and has previously served on the Gravette Planning Commission.

Smith said she ran for the position “to be able to give something back to the community where my family lives.”

Chia Greer, another candidate for the position, was eliminated in the General Election, where she received 65 votes in the race whichShields led with 233 votes to 202 for Smith.

Mayor Non-Election

A runoff election for the office of Mayor between Byron Warren and Ken Foxx apparently was a non-issue after Foxx withdrew from the race.

Though their names remained on the ballot, a notice of the non-election was posted on the voting machines at the polling site. Several persons did cast ballots with Warren receiving 33 votes to 13 for Foxx.

Warren had led in the initial balloting with 197 votes to Foxx’s 185 votes. Mike von Ree received 140 votes and Deana Deming polled 20. The election commission had certified the results of that earlier voting.

von Ree sought to have the original election declared invalid because of questions concerning Foxx’s legal residence. No ruling had been issued by Circuit Judge Xollie Clinger at the time of the runoff voting.

News, Pages 1 on 12/01/2010