BERLIN — Voters re-elected Mayor Gee Williams in today’s Berlin election.
Williams received 588 votes Tuesday, far ahead of challenger Lisa Hall, who received 137 votes.
In the District 2 race, Zackery Tyndall received 185 votes, coming out ahead of Jack Orris, who collected 116 votes.
Williams has been a familiar face in Berlin politics since 2003 when he joined the town council. When then-Mayor Tom Cardinale died suddenly in the spring of 2008, Williams, as council vice president, was charged with completing his term. He filed for election again that fall, defeating challenger Rex Hailey, and ran unopposed in 2012.
Hall, who was elected to her second council term in 2012, made it known early on that she intended to run for mayor in 2016. Williams, however, wasn’t ready to give up the seat.
“Serving as Berlin’s mayor for the past eight years has been one of the most challenging, but also rewarding, experiences of my life,” Williams said earlier this fall. “I believe that by actively encouraging partnerships with all levels of government, the business community, advocates for environmental stewardship, and with citizens in every neighborhood, we have made significant strides in our ongoing effort to become a better Berlin.”
Hall, only able to file for one position, left her District 2 council seat vacant when she decided to run for mayor. The race appeared wide open, as neither Orris, 34, or Tyndall, 26, had sought elected office before.
Tyndall, a lifelong Berlin resident, was thrown into the public spotlight in 2013 when he filed an $8 million harassment lawsuit against the Berlin Fire Company, where he worked as a paramedic. The suit was settled last fall and Tyndall, now a Realtor, has been a regular attendee at council meeting ever since. He says he wanted to understand the major issues facing the town before joining the council.
“I wanted to hit the ground running,” he said.
This story will be updated Wednesday.
