By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
CLEVELAND — Incumbents ruled in the Cleveland Commissioners race.
John Bradford, 56, and Frankie Fleming-Adkins will likely reclaim their spots on the board.
In unofficial results, Bradford received 63 votes, or 29.72 percent of the total cast, with Fleming-Adkins following close behind at 61 votes, 28.77 percent,.
“I appreciate the trust the people of Cleveland have in me,” Bradford said. “The future of the town looks good, the infrastructure is good and it should be for many decades to come.”
Fleming-Adkins said she’s “tickled” to be back on the board and looks forward to getting back to work.
“We have a lot of challenges coming up in the next four years with the economy, so we’ve really got to stay on our toes,” she said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Newcomer Richard Taylor, 53, almost secured a spot on the board. He had 58 votes, or 27.36 percent.
“Naturally, I’m a little bit disappointed,” he said. “But the town is still run by very capable people, so we’re in good hands.
“It wasn’t like I was trying to fix anything. I just wanted to be part of it.”
Leonard West, 60, got 28 votes, or 13.21 percent. This was his second unsuccessful bid for a seat on the board.
Running unopposed, John Steele, 68, will return for his second term as mayor.
“I’m very happy. I appreciate the people in Cleveland’s confidence in me,” he said. “I hope I can continue to work for them.”
Fleming-Adkins said she hopes those who didn’t win this time around will continue to stay active in the town.
“I’m sure everybody had some great ideas, and I hope they will share their ideas with the board,” she said.
West could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.