Roll remains mayor; Benson, Teske, Desch earn seats
The tallies during the recount of Election Day votes for Libby City Council candidates changed Thursday, but it didn’t alter the outcome: Robin Benson, Brent Teske and Barb Desch will serve four-year terms.
Votes in the mayoral race between incumbent Doug Roll and challenger Councilman Allen Olsen were not recounted: Roll won by 13 votes, 290 to 277.
The recount was pursued because third-place finisher incumbent Councilwoman Barb Desch led incumbent Councilwoman Vicky Lawrence by just a single vote after Tuesday’s machine-counted balloting. However, the hand-tallied recount Thursday widened Desch’s lead to five votes, 253 to 248. State law allows for recounts when the difference is one-quarter of 1 percent. The single-vote difference between Desch and Lawrence on the initial count was 0.06 (six-hundredths) of 1 percentage point.
On Wednesday, Lawrence filed paperwork for the recount.
“My supporters urged me to do the recount because of the one-vote difference,” Lawrence said. “Overall, I’m pleased with the results. I think they’re good for the community.”
That sentiment was echoed by Roll..
“Actually, I think it’s a great result for the city,” Roll said. “In Brent Teske, I think we have a great candidate. All the returning candidates are great.”
Roll thanked Lawrence for her service.
“Vicky was a great council member,” Roll said. “I think in many ways she was judged unfairly. She has worked tirelessly for the city, even before becoming a councilwoman. She planted 50 trees, and I know she cared for each one of those, hand-watering all of them.”
Benson received the most votes after the hand-tallied recount, with 344. Teske was second with 310, and Desch was third with 253. Rounding out the balloting were Lawrence with 248, Michael Shock with 200, Joanne Woods Newman with 140 and Arlen Magill with 138. Neither the votes for Newman nor Magill changed as a result of the recount.
“I feel like we ran a very clean campaign,” Benson said. “It was positive. I did not run against anyone. I ran for the people, and to them I say, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Olsen, Teske, Shock and Magill were at the courthouse Tuesday night as results came in.
“Thanks to everyone who supported me,” Teske said. “A lot needs to happen. When people are walking out of (City Council) meetings embarrassed, there’s got to be change. Hey, I hate to say ‘change’ because of the (connotation), but that’s what I mean — something different has to happen.”
Shock was simple in his analysis of the election.
“I think the people wanted them back in,” Shock said. “We may have made a dent, but people got what they want, a lot of the same. I’m glad Teske got in. I hope he can work with them for the city.”
Magill said he is undaunted by his finish with 138 votes.
“I’m not upset in the least,” Magill said. “I’m thankful for all the people who supported me. I’m looking forward to running again, maybe in the next two years.”
Desch on Wednesday said she is glad to get back in, and looks forward to getting back to work.
“I think (Teske) will be good to work with. I’m eager to get back in and accomplish more,” Desch said. “I’m happy.”
However, not everyone is happy with the election results.
On Wednesday, former City Councilman D.C. Orr, who is an avid supporter of Olsen, filed a letter with Jaime MacNaughton, the attorney for the Commissioner of Political Practices, alleging election fraud.
In the letter, Orr alleges the actions by City Attorney James Reintsma questioning Olsen’s residency two years into his four-year term was retribution for Olsen’s questioning of Roll’s conduct in performing repair work on city-owned vehicles. Reintsma also wrote a letter warning of censure if Olsen did not stop criticizing of the billing practices of a local irrigation-system provider who contracts with the city. Olsen, who owns a nursery business just outside the city limits but rents a home within the city’s boundaries, also performs irrigation services. For his part, Olsen, who admits he cannot bid on contracts with the city because of his councilman’s position, contends he is uniquely qualified to comment on those irrigation contracts.
At Monday night’s City Council meeting, Olsen asked the city to pay his legal expenses, defending against the non-residency allegations. City Council members took no action on that matter.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Olsen said of the city paying his legal bills. Olsen currently is embroiled in a custody battle with the mother of his son.
Olsen was at the Lincoln County Courthouse on Tuesday night as election results were released.
“Thirteen votes,” Olsen said. “I think all of their (legal filings) cost me at least that many votes. I don’t know if I qualify for a recount, but I’d like to see it.”
The recount Thursday did not include mayoral votes, only those for council members.