News

Fletcher incumbents file for re-election

Fletcher council members Eddie Henderson and Sheila Franklin, shown here, and Mayor Bill Moore filed for re-election.

By Bill Moss, Published: July 5, 2013

The mayor of Fletcher and two council members filed on Monday to run for reelection in the 2013 municipal elections. 

Mayor Bill Moore and current council members Sheila Franklin and Eddie Henderson are so far unopposed in the race. 

Meanwhile, the entry of a challenger ensured competition in Laurel Park. Louis Lunardoni Jr. filed for a council seat, joining incumbents A. Paul Hansen and Dona M. Mennella in the contest for two seats.

Early filers lined up to sign up for city offices Friday when the two-week filing period opened for the 2013 municipal elections. 

Joking about how they'd been drafted or that they didn't know why in the world they were running or that the $10 filing fee was too high a price to pay for the privilege of running, the candidates filled out paperwork and chatted until the clock struck noon. Then elections officials took their checks and had them sign the filing forms. Newcomers were transformed at that instant from regular citizen to candidate. Every town but Fletcher was represented with at least one early filer.

Anne Coletta and Sheryl JamersonAmong the filers who had shown up before 12:30 p.m. were Hendersonville mayor Barbara Volk, mayor pro tem Jeff Collis and challenger Ralph Freeman; Laurel Park incumbent council member Dona Mennella, Mills River incumbent council member Larry Freeman; and three Flat Rock newcomers seeking seats that incumbents are vacating: Sheryl Jamerson, running for the District 1 seat held by Ron Davis; Anne Coletta, running for the District 2 seat held by Dave Bucher; and Albert Gooch, running for the District 3 seat held by Jim Wert.

"I've never done anything in the community," said Jamerson, a CPA who retired to Flat Rock in 2000 from Chicago, where she and her husband ran an electrical contracting firm. "It's time. It's time to do my part. ... I'm excited about the new property at Highland Lake golf course. I think it's great opportunity to have one of the last open space in the community" for parkland. "The rest I'm going to learn as I go along."

Gooch, a retired Kanuga Conference Center director and fundraising consultant, has been active in the community in a variety of ways.

Larry Freeman, first in line, signs up to run for re-election to the Mills River Town Council.

"I've just been interested in public service for a long time," he said. "This is the first time I've had the opportunity to serve. My consulting business kept me out of town. (Now) I've got the time and I've got the interest in doing it."

The filing fee is $20 for Hendersonville offices and $10 for other Henderson County towns.

With the announced candidacies of incumbents Collis and Jerry Smith and challenger Ralph Freeman, Hendersonville is two candidates short of needing a primary. If five candidates sign up, they'll run in a primary on Oct. 1. If more than two people sign up for mayor, the mayoral primary would take place that day.

Here is a list of incumbents whose terms expire and filings for the 2013 elections.

Hendersonville City Council

Barbara Volk, Mayor, 2013, filed.
Jerry Smith, running.
Jeff Collis, filed.
Ralph Freeman, filed.

Flat Rock Village Council
District 1: Ronald Davis, not running. Sheryl Jamerson, filed.
District 2: David Bucher, not running. Anne Coletta filed.
District 3: Jim Wert, not running. Albert Gooch filed.

Fletcher Town Council
William B. Moore, Mayor. Leaning toward running.
District 1: Sheila Franklin.
District 4: Eddie Henderson.

Mills River Town Council
District 2: Lois Pryor, Mayor Pro Tem, Leaning against.
District 3: Shanon Gonce. Undecided.
District 1: Larry Freeman, filed.

Laurel Park Town Council
A. Paul Hansen, filed.
Dona M. Mennella, filed.

Louis Lunardoni Jr., filed.