OTTAWA — There were six and now there are seven candidates for the Pomona City Council. A board convened at the Franklin County Courthouse to hear a protest about the results of the Pomona City Council primary election ruled Tuesday afternoon that all seven candidates will stand for election during the April general election. In an election roiled by long-running disputes and a lawsuit between Mayor Joanne Hancock and most of the city council, voters bounced out the mayor’s husband Rex Hancock. However, during a final count of provisional votes, the county commission put Hancock back into the slate of candidates, saying he beat Walter Cunningham by one vote. Cunningham filed a formal protest. The board was comprised of County Attorney Heather Jones, County Clerk Shari Perry and County Treasurer Debbie Hough heard Cunningham’s protest. He said that one of the provisional ballots was cast by a woman who lived outside of the city and had expressed support for Hancock. On the ballot for April 6: Rex Hancock and Cunningham, Richard Adler, the former mayor ousted by Joanne Hancock last election, Rick Smith, council members Don Lockaby and Mary Whitaker, and Jerry Slavens.
