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WEIRTON -- With unofficial results in Tuesday night, it appears Dean Harris will be returning as Weirton mayor after more than 20 years.
With all precincts reporting, Harris, who previously served as the city's mayor from 1995 to 2003, took the highest vote, with 2,560, followed closely behind by incumbent Mayor Harold "Bubba" Miller with 2,528, current Ward 5 Councilwoman Flora Perrone with 2,301, and resident George Village with 341.
These results are unofficial until a canvassing is completed next week, according to city officials.
"It was a close race," Harris said, when contacted Tuesday night. "I appreciate and respect the confidence the voters have in me."
He thanked Miller for his years of dedication to the community, saying he hopes to see him continue to be involved in some way.
"He's given a lot to the city," Harris said. "I want to commend him for the service he's given."
Miller has been elected as mayor twice, first in 2015 and then again in 2019. Prior to that, he served as a Ward 2 council representative, and has been involved in several local community organizations.
Before being elected mayor, Harris had served as a Ward 5 council representative. During his time in office, he was active with the West Virginia Municipal League, and the National League of Cities. In the community, he is active with AHEPA Lodge 103 and had coached youth basketball with the Weirton Termite Association.
Noting the absence from the Weirton Municipal Building of more than two decades, Harris acknowledges while some things have changed, he feels much about city government has remained consistent, and he will be ready to work beginning in January.
"When I'm sworn in, we'll get busy," he said, explaining one of his first goals is to form a committee to study the makeup and revenue of the various fees and taxes assessed by the city to see if any adjustments can be made.
In addition to the race for mayor, all seven seats on Weirton Council appeared on Tuesday's ballot. Those results are as follows:
– Ward 1: Timothy C. Connell 393; Rodney Lee Summers 217; Jonathan Curenton 162.
– Ward 2: Ralph L. Cunningham 615
– Ward 3: Jesse Keeder 662; Joe DiBartolomeo 491; Ronnie J. Jones 436.
– Ward 4: Rick Stead 359; Kyle Wilson 269
– Ward 5: Brittany Holloway 612; George J. Charnie Jr. 453; Karen Harris 142; Jaime Halligan 106
– Ward 6: Anthony P. Rocchio 395; Enzo Fracasso 340; W. Fritz Frohnapfel 229; Bob Wyatt 120
– Ward 7: Christopher Jonczak 1,062