By Karen Hall

Editor

Jim Bingham triumphed in a three-way race for mayor of Lewisburg.

Turnout was still low compared to the number of registered voters, but 694 people, 56 percent, cared enough to vote for Bingham.

Bill Williams got 28 percent of the vote, while Mike Farrar trailed in with 16 percent.

Bingham will be presiding over a five-man council with just two new faces: Artie Allen replaces Hershel Davis, who retired, and Trigg Cathey came out on top of Ronald McRady, recieving 64 percent of the vote. Odie Whitehead Jr. retained his seat in a close race with Ty Dalton. The other two council members -- Steve Thomas and Robin Minor -- were not up for election this year.

"I'm relieved," said Bingham after the results were announced and family members and supporters gathered around him at the park on the square.

"This is an election that shows people believe in Lewisburg and want it to move forward," he said.

When asked what he would do, Bingham replied, "What's right, first and foremost."

Bingham said his first action as mayor would be to bring the mayor and city together in a group that wants to move forward, putting Lewisburg first in every discussion they have.

"We need to come together, pull together, and we can accomplish anything. I believe we will have a council that will want to do the same thing," Bingham said.

The new mayor said he got overwhelming help and support of people from every walk of life in the community and said this showed people were concerned about the fate of the city.

"I want to serve everybody," Bingham said. "I am going to be a mayor for all the people. I promise to be accessible."

Turning to the campaign that led up to his victory, Bingham said, "I tried to run a positive campaign.

"I appreciate Bill Williams for being so respectful. I wish all my opponents the best, and I hope they will all be part of the process of pulling together."

Did he think right from the start he was going to win?

"I tried to feel good about it," Bingham said. "But it's bad luck to say, 'yeah, I got this one.'"

"That's part of my personality," he added.

"Maybe that's part of being a Vanderbilt fan," he joked. "Time after time I've seen them snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the fourth quarter."