John Madden
While the mayoral race was likely the most watched race Tuesday night, the Webster Parish School Board will welcome some new members come January 2015.
In a surprising upset, contender for District 6, John Madden, unseated incumbent Robert Holloway. Madden drew in 762 votes, or 53.18 percent of the vote. Holloway received 671 votes or 46.82 percent.
And while Holloway lost his bid for re-election, he humbly accepted the results.
“I appreciate the citizens of District 6 for allowing me to serve for the last four years,” he said. “It’s been a blessing in my life, and I hope I’ve served them well.”
Madden, who is famous for the Peabody Study he had published a few years ago, said he is ready to move forward.
“I hope we can forge ahead and I can work with existing and new board members to chart a different path going forward,” Madden said.
Madden caused quite a stir when he had the Peabody Report done a few years ago, because as some have said, “he’s a graduate of Glenbrook. Why does he care?”
His answer?
“When I started fooling with this thing about four years ago, they were losing about $4 million a year, and they had a letter grade of ‘D,’” he said. “I think there’s a better direction to be forged. Regardless of whether I was a Glenbrook graduate or not, or just because you are a product of public schools does not mean you have the market cornered on the best ideas.”
In District 5, Incumbent Ouida Cox Garner was unseated by “Ronnie” Rhymes who gathered 50.20 percent of the vote, or 493 votes. Garner received nearly 24 percent of the vote with 235 votes. Chandra “Chan” Parish received 25.87 percent, or 254 votes.
And District 4 also saw two names on the ballot with one of them taking the district’s seat. James Daniel Duck and Jeri “JJ” O’Neal. O’Neal garnered 67.85 percent of the vote with 781 total votes. Duck garnered 32.15 percent with 370 votes.
Incumbent Bruce Williams did not run again.
Incumbents Brandon Edens of Springhill (District 1), Malachi Ridgel of Springhill (District 2), Charles Strong of Sarepta (District 3), Linda Kinsey of Minden (District 7), Ronnie Broughton of Minden (District 8), Frankie Mitchell of Minden (District 9), Johnnye Kennon of Minden (District 10), Jerry Lott of Sibley (District 11) and Penny Long of Doyline (District 12) were all unopposed.