‘People’s Choice’ trio loses City Hall bid

Wednesday, June 6, 2001 | 10:39 a.m.

Mesquite City Council Results of the Mesquite City Council election, with percentage of votes received:

Chuck Hackleman; 19.2 percent Cresent Hardy; 18.5 percent J. Scott Fisher; 18.8 percent

Rhonda Bales; 14.0 percent Grant Lindsay; 15.4 percent Richard Strohl; 14.2 percent

An acrimonious election battle in the small city of Mesquite ended Tuesday with a resounding victory for opponents of Mayor Chuck Horne's effort to remake City Hall.

All three members of "the People's Choice," a trio that generally supported Horne's criticism of the Mesquite city government and City Council, were defeated.

Incumbent Councilman Cresent Hardy was re-elected. Sitting Councilman Chuck Hackleman, who was appointed last year to fill a vacancy on the five-person council, was confirmed by the voters.

J. Scott Fisher, who also received the support of the Mesquite Chamber of Commerce and the anti-Horne activists, was elected for the first time to the four-year seat.

Mesquite voters also soundly rejected both proposed city charters, including one that would have significantly strengthened the mayor's office. Nearly 60 percent of voters opposed the charter supported by Horne.

The results were a dramatic turnaround from the primary, in which the three People's Choice candidates received the most votes.

Hardy said his goal now is to heal the wounds that the city suffered during the bruising campaign.

"My first issue is trying to come up with some way to bring this community together," Hardy said.

Hardy said he spent more than $20,000 on the campaign, most of it from his own pocket.

"I haven't taken any money from any casinos or developers," he said.

Hardy said he would not run again when his term ends in four years. In the meantime, he will try to "do what cities do, grow and prosper."

Grant Lindsay, one of the People's Choice candidates, said the election may be over, but the effort to scrutinize City Hall decisions -- and criticize them when necessary -- would continue.

"We gave it a good shot," he said. "We didn't have near the money to spend. We didn't try to do any slamming, any mudslinging, so I felt good about that.

"I think what we have to do is still go to the council meetings and let them know that we're still around," Lindsay said.

Horne said he isn't sure what would happen in the coming weeks, but he said he wants the municipal wounds to heal.

But Horne said he would not be surprised to see another recall effort to remove him from office.

The mayor survived one chamber of commerce-backed recall initiative last year.

The controversial mayor, a state leader in the far-right Independent American Party, has sued the city government and City Council at least three times. One of the suits, which challenges a land deal between the city and developer Mesquite Vistas, is expected to come to trial this summer.

Horne said he would continue to focus on economic issues affecting the city. In particular, he wants to bring a hospital and higher-education campus to Mesquite.