Voters elected new candidates Jason Musick and Grant High to the City Commission.
In complete but unofficial results Tuesday night, Musick was leading with 947 votes. High was close behind with 863. Mayor Tim Reazin finished in third with 402 votes and John Cullen received 245. There were 2,459 ballots cast in Tuesday’s election.
Musick and High campaigned in support of each other with a message of wanting change in the community. Musick said Tuesday’s results reflected the desire for that change.
“People want to be heard,” Musick said Tuesday night. “It’s not about just the five people that sit at a table or a desk at City Hall. It’s about this entire community. That’s what this is all about. It is about this community, and I’m all about their perspectives.”
He said he was excited to get to serve on the commission alongside High.
“It’s a privilege to work with somebody who is just as passionate about this community, who understands and wants to listen and wants to engage,” he said.
High said he was grateful for those who supported him and he was committed to ensuring Eudora is set up for a strong future.
“I think with any organization or government, a new perspective always helps,” High said. “What I would like to see is a community that continues to grow and thrive while protecting the culture and the character that we all love and appreciate.”
Musick and High will take their seats on the commission at the Jan. 12 meeting. The City Commission will be tasked with evaluating multiple big projects on the horizon, including a development in the Nottingham Center and an entertainment center potentially funded by STAR bonds.
Reazin said he was grateful for having been able to serve on the commission for so long and wishes the new members well. He has served on the commission since 2009.
“I don’t think this is the end of my service to our community,” Reazin said. “I know I’ll continue with the Historical Society board. I’ll continue to coach and volunteer as much as I can to give back. And that’s what being a good community member is all about. It’s not just about showing up for a couple meetings and making decisions that impact everyone. It’s about serving throughout your life.“
He said he was proud of the work the commission did in recent years, including the ongoing development of a new water treatment plant as well as road and trail projects across the city.
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve the community,” he said.
Cullen said he was disappointed in the results, but was happy to see the community engaged in the election.
“I’m proud of the campaign that I ran,” Cullen said. “I mean, I like to think that I was putting ideas out there and ways to accomplish them, not through some empty rhetoric and not blaming it on others. To those that are elected, I hope they take a chance to learn and figure out how they can bridge the divide that’s been created.”
Election results are not official until the canvass at 9 a.m. Nov. 17.
