Mayoral runoff coming to Roswell

By Ralph Ellis

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A three-way race for Roswell mayor has come down to a Dec. 1 runoff between three-term incumbent Jere Wood and former City Council member David Tolleson.

Wood ended the night with a numerical lead over  Tolleson, though neither candidate was close to having 50 percent of the vote. Council member Lori Henry was far back in third place.

In another race, Dr. Betty Price, the wife of U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), won a spot on the City Council by easily defeating Craig Voth.

Tolleson said voters seemed to like his message of building a consensus.

"We've had divisions based on where people live, different parts of town, whether somebody was pro-business or pro-neighborhood," Tolleson said. "In the words of ‘High School Musical,' we're all in this together."

Wood said he won't change his campaign, which is based on his record. He said the runoff will be decided by turnout, not fund-raising.

"David has not raised any issues other than style," Wood said. "I would be surprised if any new issues arise."

Wood, 60, is a silver-haired lawyer known for his bowties, bicycling, and pro-environmental initiatives. He was first elected mayor in 1997 by riding anti-sprawl sentiment to beat a longtime incumbent. He faced minor opposition in his two re-elections.

Tolleson, 47, painted himself as the candidate who could bring together warring factions in Roswell. He also is executive director of the National Down Syndrome Congress.

Henry, a two-term council member,  campaigned as a fiscal conservative. She attacked Wood for supporting Roswell East, a planned Atlantic Station-like project that never got off the ground, and for favoring the use of reserve funds to make the city budget work. The 53-year-old homemaker used to run her family's pest-control business and was first elected to the council in 2001.

Price defeated Voth for the City Council Post 3 seat. Tolleson gave up that seat to run for mayor. The Post 3 term will run through 2011.

Price has served on several boards, including the city's  Design Review Board. Like her husband, she is a physician. Her husband has not overtly campaigned for his wife in the campaign, which was largely self-financed.

Besides the Price-Voth race, three other City Council seats were up for grabs.

For Post 4,  incumbent Kent Igleheart appeared to edge challenger Jim Pollak.  Incumbent Jerry Orlans won by  a comfortable margin over Lee Fleck for Post 5. Nancy Diamond beat Alex Fudali and James D. Hargreaves for Post 6. Henry gave up the Post 6 seat to run for mayor.