Meet the new boss. . . . Same (almost) as the old boss.
Those lyrics from The Who's "Won't Be Fooled Again," sans the parenthetical insert, should be enough to introduce residents to the person who will guide Provo into the 21st century. But please don't read the song's title as an editorial comment. Voters know they're getting outspoken and outgoing Mayor George Stewart's personal choice for the job.Lewis K. Billings, Provo's former chief administrative officer, easily defeated City Councilman Karl J. Thalman in Tuesday's election. Thalman's term on the council expires Dec. 31.
Billings' victory suggests a majority of Provoans are content with the score maestro Stewart wrote the past four years. The band will play on with his successor, though the new conductor will have a different style.
"We've got some real great momentum. We don't have to stop the train and turn it around," said Billings, 41, adding that administrations before Stewart's also deserve credit for Provo's success.
Provo's three City Council races weren't close, either.
Councilman Greg Hudnall beat out former Councilman Jim Daley for the Citywide District I seat. Cindy Richards' hard-working grass-roots organization propelled her past Russell Phillips in the Southwest District. In the Northeast District, Paul Warner didn't break a sweat in dispatching Keith Sperry.
Slightly more than 20 percent of Provo's 53,859 registered voters turned out for what proved to be an uneventful election.
Hudnall and Billings weathered a series of largely anonymous newspaper advertisements attacking their character. Although the ads outraged the two candidates, Billings fought back, while Hudnall let them slide. Both strategies proved successful.
"Negative campaigning doesn't work for anybody," said Hudnall, conceding he worried the ads would do serious damage. "I think it backfired."
One observer said the election was a referendum on negative campaigning, and that the outcome sounded its death knell in Provo.
"People were really upset by it all," said Warner, whose race with Sperry was kind and gentle.
Still, Billings said he doubts mudslinging will dry up and blow away. If the people like those behind the attacks this year aren't unmasked, Billings said he thinks negative ploys will be used again and again.
Billings said the caustic ads were "beneath the dignity" of Provo. "That kind of thing is blight on our city," he said.
Thalman, who had nothing to do with the smear tactics, said he doesn't think the ads did his campaign any good. He said he was a victim of the Utah County Republican Party machine. Billings is a former county GOP chairman. Provo's representatives in the Utah Legislature, all of whom are Republicans, loaned their names to the Billings campaign.
"I think the Republican Party had a lot to do with it. And I'm a Republican, so I felt kind of bad about that," Thalman said.
Thalman campaigned on the premise that Salt Lake radio disc jockeys had a field day poking fun at Provo during the Stewart administration, of which Billings was a part for nearly three years. He said the city needs to move away from the emotional controversy Stewart stirred.
Although detractors tried to paint Billings as a Stewart clone, the mayor-elect says he's his own man. He won't be nearly as aggressive as the retiring mayor. He'll conduct business on his terms, though some things will be the same.
For example, don't count on plunging into the Veterans Swimming Pool on Sundays. Stewart closed the pool on the Sabbath, and it will remain closed under Billings.
Billings, a self-employed real estate investor, said he plans to include more residents in government than any administration has the past 20 years. The authoritarian Stewart was accused of ignoring the advice of others in making decisions.
"This is the people's government, and they deserved to be involved," Billings said.
Billings said he hopes those who voted against him will now work with him for the good of Provo.
Thalman, who congratulated Billings on his victory, might be willing to join the team.
"We need a little unity in the town now," he said. "I will do anything I can to help."
The first 30 days of the Billings administration will be spent using transition teams to evaluate each city department. The mayor-elect said those reviews won't be designed to criticize or find fault but to see how things can be done better.
Warner, who along with Richards will be new on the City Council, said he foresees an open relationship between the new administration and the seven-member council. He said both will consider issues based on facts and consequences.
"It won't be an emotional decision-making process," he said.
Hudnall, too, said he thinks the council will be unified. Well, almost unified. "I think we have seven council members, six council members, that can work together," he said.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
New lineup at Provo's City Hall
MAYOR: Lewis K. Billings defeated City Councilman Karl J. Thalman; he replaces George Stewart, who didn't run for a second term.
7-MEMBER CITY COUNCIL
Citywide I - Greg Hudnall defeated former Councilman Jim Daley; he replaces Thalman, who lost mayoral election and whose term expires Dec. 31.
Citywide II - Shari Holweg will complete the remaining two years of her four-year term.
Citywide III - Mark Hathaway will complete the remaining two years of his four-year term.
Northeast - Paul R. Warner defeated Keith D. Sperry; he replaces Jane Carlile, who didn't run.
Southeast - Dennis Poulsen will complete the remaining two years of his four-year term.
Southwest - Cindy Richards defeated Russell Phillips; she replaces Hudnall, who won citywide seat.
Northwest - David Rail will complete the remaining two years of his four-year term.