Valley City, ND  (KCSi-T.V. News)  —  The January 24, 2012 Valley City Recall Election votes were canvassed on Monday (Jan 30, 2012).
Following canvassing, Mayoral candidate Dean Ross received 4 more votes. Mayor Robert  Werkhoven lost 4 votes.

For City Commissioner, Ken Evenson picked up 2  votes, Duane Magnuson’s vote totals were unchanged.

Valley City Auditor, Avis Richter reports, the final official vote totals were:

Mayor
Incumbant, Robert Werkhoven: with 1,124  votes down from the unofficial 1,128 votes, 56.5 % of the votes

Challenger, Dean Ross: 864  votes up from the unofficial 860 votes 43.5% of the votes

City Commissioner

Incumbant Ken Evenson: 952 votes, up from the unofficial  950 votes, or  48% of the votes

Challenger, Duane “Dewey” Magnuson: 1,023 votes 51.8% of the votes.
Neither Ross or Evenson are eligible for a recount.

1,988 votes were cast in the mayoral race, with 1,975 votes cast in the city commissioner contest.
 
After the canvassing, Commissioner Magnuson was given the oath of office by Valley City’s, City Attorney, Russell Myhre.  Magnuson will serve for 27 months, with his term ending in June 0f 2014.

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Valley City, ND (KCSi-T.V. News Jan 24, 2012) – Valley City Voters on Tuesday (Jan 24, 2012) have kept the incumbant mayor in office, and elected a new city commissioner, in the Recall Election.

Robert Werkhoven remains mayor, defeating challenger, and former police chief Dean Ross, and Duane “Dewey” Magnuson has been elected city commissioner defeating incumbant commissioner, Ken Evenson.

Final unofficial vote totals were:

Mayor
Incumbant, Robert Werkhoven: 1,128 votes 56% of the votes

Challenger, Dean Ross: 860 votes 43% of the votes

City Commissioner

Incumbant Ken Evenson: 950 48% of the votes

Challenger, Duane “Dewey” Magnuson: 1,023 votes 51% of the votes.
Neither losing candidate is eligible for a recount.

The City Auditor’s office reports a heavy voter turnout, with 2,015 ballots were cast, with 660 absentee ballots in the count. 27 ballots were “spoiled,” and not counted, leaving 1,988 ballots counted. That compares to 172 absentee ballots cast in the October 2011 Special Election concerning the City Administrator’s position.

More absentee ballots could be counted if they arrive by mail, and carry a postmark of no later than January 23, 2012. The vote will be canvassed on Monday January 30, 2012 at 9-a.m., at City Hall.

The recall election for Mayor Werkhoven and City Commissioner Ken Evenson was scheduled after residents who want new leadership submitted petitions with enough signatures to force the public vote.  Werkhoven and City Commissioner Ken Evenson became targets of the recall election after months of political turmoil in the city of 6,600 people last year. Ross was suspended as police chief amid
allegations he mishandled public money, an accusation he disputed
and the city later dropped.
After the election, Werkhoven said he was pleased he won “by a good margin,” and hopes now the results will “bring Valley City together.”  Werkhoven’s term as mayor will continue for another two and a half years.
Ross said he was “disappointed” in the results.” He hopes now there will be “Peace and Harmony,” in Valley City.” He was pleased Duane Magnuson won the commissioner election, saying he and Magnuson worked together during the election.

After the election Duane Magnuson said he ran for commissioner because he believe the Valley City Commission had not “handled itself the way it should have.”
Werkhoven commented that Magnuson has “big shoes to fill, (Evenson’s) and he better be ready.”

During the mayoral campaign, Robert Werkhoven said he and Valley City officials have been working with state and federal officials for funding to upgrade the city water treatment plant in the treatment of higher sulfate levels start when they start coming from Devils Lake following activation of the east end outlet, later this year. Werkhoven said city officials and Valley City residents did a good job keeping the city dry in 2011. Werkhoven has said he’s done nothing wrong to warrant a recall from office. Mayoral candidate Dean Ross said if elected, Devils Lake and the concern over water quality issues are extremely important to him. Ross said, organization such as “People to Save the Sheyenne” and the “Downstream Ad Hoc Committee” have done a good job of keeping a pulse on the Devils Lake situation. He added the Flood Task Force committee has done exceptional work.

City Commissioner Ken Evenson said he wanted to finish his term to help with the new Water Treatment plant along with concentrating on Devils Lake issues. Evenson has questioned the recall process, adding that he’s done nothing wrong to warrant a recall from office.

Valley City firefighter, Duane Magnuson said he wanted to put the city back on a in positive light, stemming from last summer’s dispute between the city and then Valley City Police Chief, Dean Ross. He campaigned to get new businesses in town, and to enhance the existing Valley City businesses.

Tuesday’s Recall Election ballots will be canvassed on Monday January 30, 2012, at City Hall, starting at 9-a.m.