Dallas City Council seated (left to right): Nancy Arnold (At-Large), Mayor Boyd Austin, and James Kelly Jr. (At-Large). Left to right (standing) Chris Carter (Ward One) Griffin White (Ward Three), Jim Henson (Ward Four) and Michael Cason (Ward Two). Mayor Austin and council members Kelly Jr., Henson, and Cason are unopposed in the November election. (Photo: Submitted)

Hiram November Ballot (Left to right) Post 1 Councilman Prather "Pep" Rollins, Mayor Doris Devey, Council Post 2 Kathy Bookout and Council Post 3 Teresa Philyaw. Ms. Philyaw has decided to run against Ms. Devey for mayor. A special election to fill her council seat is set for Nov. 3. Both Bookout and Rollins will face challenges in the November election. (Photo: Submitted)

Paulding’s November municipal elections have set-up in sharp contrast to one another. In Dallas longtime Incumbent Dallas Mayor Boyd Austin and three council members will sail through the upcoming election unopposed, as no one filed to qualify by the September 2 deadline. While in Hiram the mayor and council have begun a process to replace their city manager and additionally have four races to be decided in November.
Of the Dallas result, Mayor Austin said his take-away was a positive endorsement from the local electorate that he and his council were doing a good job. “I think it’s a strong statement of support...,” he said. Austin thanked local residents for their support in the Dallas New Era noting, “I am thankful for a council that works together...even when we disagree, we do it in a civil manner and move on, rather than embarrassing ourselves or our constituents.”
With Austin, Dallas council members Mike Cason, Jim Henson and James Kelly Jr. will be unopposed. Kelly Jr., at-large council member and mayor pro tem will serve a fourth term. Henson will serve a second term in Ward 4 and Cason, Ward 2, began on the council in 2002. Prior to the selection of Rokovitz the Hiram council changed its charter to allow for the addition of a city manager. But Rokovitz commented recently that the council-manager form of governing the city adopted in 2012 still needs work.
His three-year stint as Hiram’s city manager ends this week. According to Mayor Devey his announcement earlier this month that he would step down was unexpected. Rokovitz, whose last day is the 25th, recently opted for a job offer in the private sector.
His permanent replacement would most likely not start until after the election or early next year. Rokovitz was named as the council’s selection for city manager in August of 2012. And the city added a special election to fill Council Post 3 being vacated by Teresa Philyaw, who decided to run for mayor.
Ms. Philyaw will challenge incumbent Mayor Doris Devey in the city's November election. Philyaw's candidacy required her to resign her council seat. A special election is set for Nov. 3 for the purpose of filling her unexpired term, as required by state law and the city’s charter. Qualifiers for the Post 3 (At-large) council seat as of last week’s deadline were Jeff B. Cole and Jerry W. Duncan.
Other races in the Hiram General Election include Incumbent Post 1 (At-large) Councilman Prather "Pep" Rollins who is challenged by Frank Moran and (Incumbent) Council Post 2 (At-large) Kathy Bookout will face qualifiers Terrance White and Billy Grant. Rollins and Bookout came on board in 2011 with newly-elected Mayor Jack Paris, who resigned and was replaced by Ms. Devey after she won a special election in 2012.
Both Mayors Austin and Devey will give their state of the cities addresses at the Chamber of Commerce next month.