Montgomery, Rutherford Choose New County Mayors

Montgomery and Rutherford County elected new county mayors last night.

With a 67-percent majority, Montgomery County Trustee Carolyn Bowers defeated four other candidates to take the Mayor’s office. Bowers says she intends to find ways to involve more people in the county’s decision-making process and make the workings of government transparent to citizens.

“Sometimes citizens think we’re just out there spending their money needlessly, and I hope that we can show the citizens that we don’t spend money frivolously but we try to operate an efficient government that’s effective and operate for the citizenship of Montgomery County.”

Meanwhile, in Rutherford County, Republican Ernest Burgess edged out Democrat Greg Tucker to head the county’s administration. Burgess took 45 percent of the votes cast; Tucker came close behind with 36 percent, and indpendent Bill Shacklett rounded out the field with 19 percent.