Fri, Jul 18 2008
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Published May 12, 2008 09:37 pm - An unusual mayor’s race will end today. Choose leaders today An unusual mayor’s race will end today in Muskogee with the return of a former mayor or the election of a 19-year-old college student.
Hershel McBride, who had a six-year stint as mayor, is running against John Tyler Hammons, the college student, in today’s runoff. Please vote. This election and the two councilor races, Wards II and IV, are important for Muskogee’s future. As many have said, Muskogee has an opportunity that few cities or towns have ever had in their histories. Muskogee leased Muskogee Regional Medical Center to a private company about a year ago. The city will be able to use the annual interest from the principal, about $5 million and $100 million, respectively, on special community projects. The money will be placed into a trust fund and dispersed by a community foundation established to manage the money. The mayor and two of Muskogee’s eight councilors will be on the foundation board. The people we elect today will not only be involved in determining the city budget and policies, but at the least, the new mayor will also sit on the board that will decide which projects the lease money will fund — and many people have wide and conflicting views on how that money should be spent. The board will hear many different opinions and face a great deal of pressure in making those decisions. This race is unusual in that the candidates differ widely in age — McBride, 70; Hammons, 19. Naturally, ever since Hammons announced his candidacy, we have debated the value of age and experience vs. youthfulness and change. City races
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. Mayor: Hershel McBride, John Tyler Hammons Ward II: Frank Borovetz Jr.*, Shawn Raper Ward IV: Troy Stoutermire*, Jackie Luckey * Designates incumbent No election, even this one, can be stated quite so simply, but those criteria will certainly be on every voter’s mind today. 
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