Flemington will have a new mayor.
Tim Byler defeated incumbent Flemington mayor Paul Hawkins, capturing more than 58% of the votes. Byler claimed 168 of the 289 votes cast in the race, unseating the longtime incumbent.
Byler, who is pastor at Connection Church, is the current chairman of the Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission.
Byler noted Flemington has gone from 250 homes to more than 1,100, “with another 1,000 on the way,” he said.
“It’s one of the reasons I ran. Our infrastructure is not ready to receive the growth that is happening. We are going to have be very strategic about all future development to make certain the infrastructure is considered and developed with the new growth. I think that can be done. It just is going to require a lot of negotiation and a lot of strategy.”
The city council will welcome two new members, Manish “Mike” Patel and Paul Martin. Incumbents Rene Ryon Harwell, who is also mayor pro tem, Larry Logan, Hasit Patel and Leigh Smiley were all re-elected.
“I think it is amazing the diversity we have on our council,” Byler said.
More votes were cast on election day Tuesday than in early voting. Byler held a slight lead, 72-66, after the completion of early voting October 31.
He took 90 of the 145 votes Tuesday.
Byler, who will give up his seat on the LCPC, said his 12 years on that board has been instrumental in helping him learn about growth and its challenges.
“It’s an incredibly enlightening experience,” he said.
Byler helped steer the LCPC through two editions of comprehensive plan formation and adoption and helmed it during the creation of the unified development ordinance.
“That was a massive undertaking,” he said. “I got a chance to see the broad picture. All of our meetings were public forums and I got to hear what the citizens thought. I think it gave us a really good picture of the pulse of our community.”
At the forefront on his agenda is the city’s infrastructure and how it will handle the upcoming growth.
“Growth is coming. Growth is happening and it needs to be managed,” he said. “Having everyone behind the vision means we can do so more effectively.”
Hawkins served for more than 30 years on Flemington’s city council, including his time as mayor.
“The biggest thing we are going to have to watch is that 42% of the people are a very large group,” Byler said. “We need to be mindful in the development that they are given the opportunity to have their voice heard. I have to be a mayor for everybody.”