RBC — The eastern and western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park Districts and the Rangely District Hospital elected new board members during the May 6 special district elections.
All three districts used mail-in ballots to cast votes.
“It was very successful,” said Stephanie Holsinger, the designated election official for the ERBM Recreation District election.
“We were happy with the turnout.”
More than 400 people cast ballots in the EBRM Recreation District election. Five candidates, including two incumbents, ran for two seats on the board.
One of the incumbents, Carol Hollowed, garnered the most votes (252). Hollowed was re-elected to her fourth four-year term. She first joined the board in 1996.
The other incumbent, Gary Zellers, finished 15 votes behind Edy George (150). George joins Hollowed and current board members Dale Hallebach, Tonya Morris and Joe Nieslanik.
Michael Neumann (102) and Thomas Kennedy (86) were also on the ballot.
In Rangely, more than 500 voters participated in electing two new board members and one incumbent to the Rangely District Hospital board.
Three incumbents were re-elected to the WRBM Rec. District board.
Jack Rich was re-elected to the RDH board with 291 votes. Stephan Petersburg finished with the most votes (297). Buford Adams received 237 votes to be elected along with Rich and Petersburg.
They will join current board members Joyce Muller and Robert Mackey on the five-person hospital board.
Five other individuals were also on the ballot for the three RDH seats, including incumbent Barbara Patterson (147), Bobbie L. Fiscus (106), Linda A. Berry (116), James L. Dillon (174) and Lisa Hatch (146).
All three incumbents on the WRBM Recreation District board were re-elected to another four-year term.
Dennis Medina recorded 400 votes, Joyce Key received 393 and Linda C. Gordon finished with 372. Luke D. Geer was also on the ballot and finished with 281 votes.
“I thought a few more people would have voted,” said Paula Padilla of the mail-in ballot. Padilla served as the designated election official for the WRBM Recreation District.
“The mail-in ballot is a lot more work and more expensive but now that we’ve done both, we may be able to see which way works best.”