Local News

George Wissmiller Wins Coin Toss, Final County Board Seat; Not Happy With Way It Was Decided

The final seat on the DeWitt County Board for District B was decided by the flip of the coin, and the winning candidate was not pleased with the way it was decided.

 width=Incumbent Terry Ferguson and challenger George Wissmiller flipped a coin Monday afternoon to decide the winner of the final seat for District B on the County Board. Wissmiller ended up winning the coin toss and it was agreed by the candidates Ferguson would call it in the air. Prior to and after the flip Wissmiller maintained his position of disagreeing on how the outcome was decided. Wissmiller prior to the flip went as far as to forfeit the small monetary pay County Board Members receive.

[audio:112712coinflip1.mp3] [/audio]

Wissmiller felt as though a better system would be a simple recount. He says even if the incumbent keeps the seat after the recount, it would be a better system than the one currently in place. All that said, Wissmiller said he would not be forfeiting his seat.

[audio:112712coinflip2.mp3] [/audio]

County Clerk for DeWitt County, and the administrator of the coin flip for this instance, Dana Smith says she has seen close races before but this is the first tie. She explains a lottery of some sort must be done to determine the winner. Originally dice were going to be cast however, Wissmiller did not like that idea, so it was agreed a coin would be flipped.

[audio:112712coinflip3.mp3] [/audio]

Ferguson says he is disappointed with the outcome. He hopes to remain active within the county still in other areas. With a five day window to declare a recount, Ferguson says he does not know yet whether he will ask for one. He wanted to hear all the details behind declaring a recount first before making a decision.

Should the outcome remain the way it is, District B on the County Board will have three new members, along with Wissmiller, will be Republican challengers Mark Gardner and Tom Pruser.

Townhall Top of the Hour News

Local Weather - Sponsored By:

CLINTON WEATHER

Local News

DeWittDN on Facebook