Local News - August 2003

City may see only one race

Published August 1, 2003

Hovis-Rhyne

By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer

Filing for mayor and seats on the Lincolnton City Council ended at noon today, and as of two hours before the deadline, no additional names had been placed in the running.

That means unless there are any last minute filers, just four names will be on the ballot in November.

The only race will be for the Ward IV city council seat, currently held by Democrat Larry Mac Hovis.

Hovis will square off against Republican Chafin Rhyne for the 4-year term.

Councilman Les Cloninger, a Democrat, will run unopposed for the council’s Ward II seat which he has held since 1999.

Mayor Bobby Huitt also faces no opposition in his run for re-election.

Since no two members of a party are running against each other, there is no need for a September primary. The general election will be held Nov. 4.

The current council is composed of five Democrats, including Fred Houser and Carroll Heavner, in addition to Cloninger, Hovis and Huitt.

Rhyne said he hopes voters will consider ideas, not party affiliation, when they go to the polls in a few months.

“I’m as much a Democrat as I am a Republican in viewpoint,” Rhyne said Thursday.

He’s a “fiscally conservative and socially liberal” candidate who tends to be “bullish and very energetic and active,” he said.

He noted an urgency in maintaining the city’s green space and implementing the Greenway Master Plan, and is concerned about urban sprawl taking over Lincolnton’s small-town character.

Rhyne said he wishes more people were running for office just so more ideas could be brought up.

“I’m only running because I love the city and want to give my time and energies like I have with my business to the city,” Rhyne said. “I think I can contribute.”

Hovis said he is ready for the tough competition.

“I’m going to have to work as hard as I ever did,” Hovis said Friday. “Chafin is a worthy opponent.”

He said he is grateful that no primary is needed so he can concentrate on the general election and hopes residents will come out and vote even though it’s an off-election year.

“I’m going to get out and work hard, get out and see the people,” he said.

The council’s list of accomplishments is a lengthy one, he said.

Since he was first elected, the council has doubled the city’s population by approving an annexation; established the Rail-Trail and worked on an extension; started construction on Highland Drive Park; began a sidewalk program; and worked on the future remodeling of City Hall and the Lincolnton Fire Department.

The city has also worked to support downtown business owners by not levying a business district tax.

“Since I’ve been on council, we’ve been pretty aggressive,” Hovis said. “I’m going to run on my record.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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