Challenger Hancock wins in contentious Pomona race

POMONA — Joann Hancock said she felt one emotion at the end of Election Night.

“I’m just really happy,” she said. “Now, it’s time for me to go to work.”

Hancock upset Pomona Mayor Richard Adler Tuesday by a narrow win of five votes. She raked in 102 votes, followed closely by Adler with 97.

“That’s the way it goes in politics,” Adler, who before serving a term as mayor served 12 years on the city council, said. “It was close and could have gone the other way.”

Adler said he doesn’t plan to ask for a recount.

Throughout her campaign, Hancock, who owns her own business, Weddings and More, said she wanted to bring more honesty and openness to the council. She campaigned closely with Bill Lloyd Sr., who was one of two candidates to win city council spots.

“All we did was go out and talk to people,” she said. “We told them who we were and that we planned to be honest and do the best we can for them.”

Lloyd led all city council candidates with 91 votes, followed by Joe Goracke, 90; Marie Seneca, 71; Don Lockaby, 69; and Lawrence “Larry” Case, 35.

“It turned out the way I wanted it to,” Lloyd said. “The people of Pomona needed a change and a good, positive outlook on the future.”

Lloyd, who is retired, and Goracke, a shop foreman for a steel fabrication shop in Paola, upset incumbents Seneca and Lockaby.

“My life will continue tomorrow,” Lockaby said. “It’s not the end of the world.”

Lockaby said issues like city utility bills created a stir in Pomona and put council members in tough positions.

“I made some very unpopular but necessary decisions,” he said. “I’d do the same thing if I had to do it over again.”

The Pomona election became a bit controversial last week when signs of Hancock and Lloyd were removed from yards and damaged.

“I still had a couple more missing (Tuesday),” Hancock said.

While many candidates made their way to the Franklin County Courthouse Tuesday night, current Pomona council members and hopefuls were tied up at — of all places — a city council meeting.

“I wasn’t even thinking about the votes,” Adler said. “We were doing business.”

This wasn’t the first time the name Hancock appeared on the ballot. Hancock’s husband, Rex, ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Adler in 2007.

“I’m happy,” she said of her reaction to the results, which aren’t official until a canvass. “It’s what I hoped for.”

Jenalea Myers can be e-mailed at jmyers@ottawaherald.com.