Three candidates will run for the Piedmont City Council seat left open when John Brown resigned last year, and two candidates have filed for the seat Councilman Bobby Williamson is leaving.
Williamson, incumbent for Piedmont City Council Ward II, announced last week he would not seek re-election this year.
Voters go to the polls on Tuesday, April 6.
Wednesday morning, one candidate had filed at the Canadian County Election Board for Ward II. Mitch Henley, 5659 Heritage Circle, Piedmont filed for the Ward II seat.
Later Wednesday, Ron Cardwell announced he had filed at the election board. Cardwell announced he had filed in a group page on social media.
Cardwell is a superintendent for Oklahoma County Highway District 3 who has served on the Piedmont Planning Commission.
“I have lived in Piedmont since 2008, survived the May 24 2011 tornado, served on City Planning commission about 5 years including workshops that created the 2030 comp plan and helped create the City Hazard Mitigation Plan,” Cardwell added.
After John Brown resigned in July, 2020 from Ward IV, the council appointed Jack Jackson.
Jackson has filed for the Ward IV seat at the election board, a spokesman said.
Also filing for Ward IV were Jonathan T. Hisey, 782 Bader Street N.E. in Piedmont, and Steve Bottkol, 3483 Southridge Lane.
Brown, said he resigned last year after the political climate in Piedmont had become “toxic.”
The Piedmont City Council in 2020 approved a plan to ask voters for $28 a month on utility bills to fund citywide road improvements. The plan was overwhelmingly defeated by more than 81% of the vote.
Hisey, who was raised on a wheat and cattle farm in Hunter, graduated from Pond Creek-Hunter High School in 1998. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 2002 and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering in 2004, both from Oklahoma State University. While at OSU Jonathan met his wife Ada.
Jonathan has worked more than 16 years as a civil engineer.
Hisey, wife Ada and their 3 children reside in Rolling Prairie Estates and have called Piedmont home since 2008. The Hiseys are members of Piedmont First Baptist Church.
“As a city councilmember, I plan to focus on communication, rebuilding trust, infrastructure planning & construction, and adhering to laws and ordinances,” Hisey said.
“My civil engineering experience can help aid and guide Piedmont to deal with the problems we face with our struggling water system, poor roads, and inadequate drainage. Piedmont needs cost-effective solutions to these problems because of our limited budget. I understand that the best solution is often the simplest, and therefore, least expensive,” Hisey said.
“I would be honored to serve the residents of Ward 4.”
Williamson said he decided it was time for him to step down from the council after serving the city for nine years.
“Although I have been honored to represent the citizens of Ward II, I feel that now what is best for the future of Piedmont is an infusion of new leadership with fresh ideas and novel approaches to problems that we all will face as a community. In light of that, I have chosen to step aside, and not seek re-election.”
The filing period for candidates ended at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
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