Incumbents rule in Pink Hill

PINK HILL — Voters re-elected every incumbent on the ballot in Pink Hill’s mayoral and town commissioner races on Tuesday.

Pink Hill town commissioner Donald King received the most votes with 113 ballots cast, town commissioner Mike Hill received 85 votes and town commissioner Carol Sykes received 81 votes. Debra Grady, town commissioner candidate, received 63 votes.

“I am happy we are all returning to the town board,” Sykes said. “I am tickled to death.”

Incumbent Pink Hill mayor Treva Brigman was re-elected with 73 votes. She easily defeated mayoral challenger Royce Swinson, who received 55 votes.

“There are still people who consider me the new kid on the block,” Brigman said. “It’s going to take all of us to run this town.”

The incumbents met Tuesday night at Byrd’s Café in Pink Hill while the election results were counted and were excited when they learned everyone was returning to their respective seats, Sykes said.

It proved to be a transitional start for Pink Hill’s political leaders after the 2007 election. Former mayor Anthony Mitchell resigned, as well as former town commissioner Houston Howard.

Brigman was elected as a commissioner in 2007. She was later appointed by the town board to fill Mitchell’s vacated seat.

Two vacated town commissioner seats were later filled by Hill and King through appointments; both had been rejected by voters in the 2007 election.

According to the current town board members, they needed more time together to achieve everything they set out to do.

Swinson said Tuesday night he had no regrets in running for Pink Hill mayor. Swinson had served as Pink Hill Elementary School’s principal for several years.

“I thank everyone who voted for me,” Swinson said.

Chris Lavender can be reached at 252-559-1078 or clavender@freedomenc.com.