Suzette Cooke was in a celebratory mood Tuesday night, the eve of the General Election ballot count.
The incumbent Kent mayor had withstood a number of accusations by challenger Jim Berrios to easily earn a second, four-year term.
“My goodness, I was so ecstatic,” Cooke said in a phone interview Wednesday of her reaction to the election results Tuesday night that gave her 68.8 percent of the vote. “I was very surprised at the margin of support, although I realize the margin can change as more votes come in.”
The lopsided early margin made it clear voters wanted Cooke, 60, for another four years. As of Thursday evening, Cooke had 7,143 votes (68.82 percent). Berrios had 3,213 votes (30.95 percent).
“I see it as an affirmation of the leadership I’ve provided for four years as well as the leadership of the team of city employees and the community at large,” Cooke said.
Berrios, the owner of the Golden Steer restaurant and president of the Kent School Board, said he spoke with Cooke on Wednesday.
“I talked to Suzette to congratulate her on her win,” Berrios said. “We had a nice chat. We talked about the school bond and levy (on the ballot next year) and the support that we can give each other.”
But the campaign trail at times had been a war path. Berrios claimed the city administration’s budget forecasts for 2009 were too optimistic and a result of “fiscal mismanagement or deception.”
Berrios also filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission alleging that Cooke monitored the PDC Web site to see which city employees donated to the Berrios campaign. The PDC has not yet decided whether to investigate the claim.
“I was not sure how susceptible people would be to the accusations,” Cooke said. “I could respond to some degree. But I wanted the campaign to be about what we’ve done as a community and build upon that for the next four years.”
Berrios said in a phone interview Wednesday that he did not want to talk about the possible reasons for his loss until more voters were counted.
“I’m more than OK,” Berrios said when asked about the loss. “I’ll move on and continue to do for folks what I can. I will not let it get me down.”
Cooke credited a city Neighborhood Program she helped establish three years ago as one reason for her victory. Seventeen communities throughout the city started Neighborhood Councils in an effort to improve relationships between the city and residents.
“People are connected more with what the city is and can be,” Cooke said of the Neighborhood Program. “It’s helpful to break down the barriers that people may have felt accessing their government.”
Cooke didn’t expect the campaign to be filled with so many accusations against her.
“Clearly, it was disappointing to see my opponent go to the level he did,” Cooke said. “But I was able to stay focused on what we have accomplished.”
Cooke looks forward to four more years as mayor.
“Outside of continuing the track we’ve been on, I would like to see additional neighborhood councils and make certain the economy is revitalized as we move through the recession,” Cooke said. “We also will have a whole new population to prepare for with Panther Lake so we can begin connecting with that portion of our city.”
As of Thursday evening, 57.88 percent of Panther Lake voters had voted in favor of annexation to Kent. If that voting trend holds, about 24,000 residents north and east of Kent on the East Hill would join the city next July. Kent’s current population is 88,380.
Cooke viewed the end of the campaign as a relief.
“I’m so glad this is behind us,” she said. “Now we can refocus on the issues at hand.”
Higgins, Albertson lead Council races
Dennis Higgins and incumbent Elizabeth Albertson appear to be the winners in the two contested Kent City Council races.
As of Thursday evening, Higgins had 5,476 votes (59.75 percent) while Dana Ralph had 3,668 votes (40.02 percent) for Position No. 4. Higgins and Ralph ran to replace Tim Clark, who decided not to run again.
Albertson had 5,035 votes (54.09 percent) while challenger Geoff Koepp had 4,255 votes (45.71 percent) for Position No. 6. Albertson is seeking her second, four-year term.
Jamie Danielson ran unopposed for Council Position No. 2.
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