CLAY COUNTY – Despite receiving endorsements from former Keystone Heights Mayor Tony Brown, Clay County Commissioner Betsy Condon and Sheriff Michelle Cook, Vice Mayor Chris Thompson failed to win re-election to the Keystone Heights City Council during Municipal Super Tuesday elections.

According to preliminary tallies that Supervisor of Elections posted, Dave Welch beat Thompson, 79-74, to win Seat 2 on the council.

“Keystone Heights has a wonderful history and tradition, and I would like to recover some of that former glory,” Welch said. “It wouldn’t be practical to rebuild the city, so to speak, but I think we can recapture some of the flavor of a shaded old Florida community.”

Welch said the city's three main cornerstones are its lakes, airport and downtown area. He said the lakes would be replenished by rain (and the Black Creek Restoration Project), the airport authority is doing a good job, and the city is working well with the FAA to improve the taxiways and runway lighting.

His focus will be on uniting the community to revitalize the downtown areas.

“I think getting people on board and try to encourage people to participate, maybe spend a little money on sprucing up their storefronts would be a start,” Welch said. “It’s going to be a community effort to make that happen, and I think we can get there. I think we can get people signed up and working toward that goal.

“Eventually, over months and years, we can get it done.”

In Green Cove Springs, Darren Stutts earned 64.65% of the vote to win Seat 5 on the City Council to replace Steven Kelley, who was termed out. He beat challenger Dave Daigle, 331-181, in a race where nearly $15,000 was raised.

“I’m a business owner (Darren’s Custom and Restorations), and Job One for me is, I want to re-do planning and zoning,” Stutts said from his victory celebration at the Village Improvement Association. “I want something to go through planning and zoning and revamp it where it’s easier to come in here and open a business and pull a permit.

“My wife is the president of the V.I.A. Women’s Club, and they wanted to put a new sign out front. It took them three months to get a building permit to put up a new little sign for something that should have taken three minutes, because they have so much red tape.”

Stutts will be sworn in before the May 20 meeting.

Stutts said he’s been in business in Green Cove Springs for 37 years, and business has only gotten more difficult for the city.

“I’m tired of the process,” he said.

Voters also rejected pay raises for city council members (271-237) and an increase in the city manager's spending authority from $25,000 to $50,000 (286-222).

Voters also approved the city manager's authority to issue a local state of emergency (334-175), but they voted down plans to allow the city attorney to live outside the city limits (330-182) and a requirement that the city council review the City Charter every 10 years (301-206).

Five candidates were unopposed countywide. In Green Cove Springs, Glee Glisson will replace Connie Butler, who termed out for Seat 3, and Michael Smith won a second term to represent Seat 4.

In Keystone Heights, Ryan Knight retained his position on Seat 1, while Kenneth Vogel (Seat 4) and Mayor Randy Anderson (Seat 5) both won re-elections in Orange Park.