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Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Gray voters pick Wilson as next mayor

Gray has its first new mayor-elect in more than a decade.

Gus Wilson on Tuesday won the seat that will be vacated by Mayor Jason Briley, who didn’t run for the first time since taking office in 1997.

Wilson bested Lehman Wood by a 362-219 tally in a race that saw both men run on plans to oversee and attract commercial and industrial growth in and around the Jones County seat.

Wilson, 53, a former bait-and-tackle shop owner, said, “I just look forward to working with the citizens and the City Council and trying to move forward with growth in Gray. ... I’m proud that the citizens think enough of me and think that I can do the job and will look out for their best interests.”

Four years ago, the Gray mayor’s race attracted 634 voters, 53 more than the 581 who turned out Tuesday.

“I’m real excited about the opportunities for the city to see us move right along,” Wilson said after shaking hands with Wood, his 66-year-old opponent.

“I’m sure Lehman’s got a lot to offer, and we’ll look at some opportunities and some committees he can serve on to help Gray.

“I think anybody that wants to be the mayor and takes an interest in the community as much as he has, win or lose, there’s a place for them,” Wilson said.

Briley, the outgoing mayor who opted not to seek a fourth term, was happy to pass the mayoral torch.

“I think the city did a great job in selecting two of the candidates that were chosen tonight. And Gus was certainly at the top of my list,” Briley said. “He’s gonna do a fine job.”

Briley joked, “He told me that he might make me dogcatcher or something like that. I’m certain that it’s actually a better job than mayor.”

In other Gray races, incumbent David Tufts won re-election in the District 1 City Council contest, topping challenger Charlie Ridley 107-78. Russell Thompson took the District 4 seat with 70 votes, besting Jeffery Parker (33) and Joshua Lurie (29). The race for mayor pro tem goes to a Dec. 1 runoff between top vote-getters Loretta Lipsey (287) and Rallie D. “Rooster” Cogburn (241). A third candidate, Richard “Rick” Tipton, garnered 54 votes.

To contact writer Joe Kovac Jr., call 744-4397.