Winner anxious to begin new career

The race for District 2 McIntosh County Commissioner in last week’s primary runoff election was a photo finish, with challenger Clifford McElhaney defeating incumbent Monty Grider by a nose.

McElhaney, a Eufaula barber for 26 years, received 285 votes to Grider’s 273, a difference of 12 votes.

The vote was so close in the Aug. 27 run-off that Grider has decided to ask for a recount.

He paid his $600 fee for a recount order on Thursday, Aug. 29.

The recount will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, in the third-floor courtroom No. 1 at the McIntosh County Courthouse.

A team led by County Election Board Secretary Janelle McKnight will conduct the count.

Votes of all ballots from each of the district’s three precincts will be counted, including both absentee and election day ballots.

There are 2,429 Republican voters registered in District 2, according to the Election Board. Only 558 voted, fewer than 25 percent of those eligible.

“I was very disappointed in the turnout,” Grider said.

Meanwhile, McElhaney was very excited.

“I’m just excited to take on a new job and to be able to serve my community,” he said after giving a few haircuts on Friday.

He and the rest of District 2 won’t know what to expect until after next week’s recount.

But the uncertainty hasn’t dulled his enthusiasm, it’s as sharp as his clippers.

“I’ve been interested in county commissioner’s work since my early 20s,” he said.

He cut the hair of several commissioners, such as the late Harold Burdine, and many of their constituents.

“I visited with him when I was just a young barber,” he said. “I was always cutting the county commissioners’ hair. I had good relationships with most all of the county commissioners. I was always inquisitive, asking about what they did and how they did it.”

He said he is the second barber elected to office in the county.

“Bobby Gray was a barber before he became sheriff,” McElhaney said.

He finally became serious about running for office.

“Actually, four years ago I was going to run, but the timing wasn’t quite right,” he said.

McElhaney feels he was meant to be a commissioner.

“I felt like serving the public, interacting with the people.

He has a number of goals, including trying to find more financial resources.

“We live in a poor county. One of my main goals is to figure out some way to get more resources for the roads,” he said.

And he wants to keep in touch with the people.

“My number two goal is to say in touch with my constituents, be a voice in the community,” As a barber, he said, he has had a lot of conversations about a lot of things, such as what needs to be fixed.

“If something needs to be fixed, I’ve probably heard about it,” he said.

Assets he brings to the job includes being able to communicate and to deal with problems.

“I will do my best to do a great job and to be the best commissioner District 2 has ever had. I’m not going to sit on my tail. I’m going to work as hard as I can to build a better community.