SPRINGDALE -- Brian Powell defeated Alice Gachuzo-Colin for the City Council's Ward 3, Position 1 seat in a runoff election Tuesday.
Complete but unofficial results for the seat are:
Powell - 1,410 (78%)
Gachuzo-Colin - 397 (22%)
Ward 3 covers southwest Springdale.
Powell, in the Nov. 8 general election, received 4,841 votes, or 36%, earning a spot in the runoff. Gachuzo-Colin received 3,554 votes, or 26%, also making the runoff in what was originally a four-person race.
A candidate in a municipal election with more than two challengers can win outright with a majority, which is 50% plus one vote. A candidate also can win by receiving at least 40% of the vote and by leading the second-place finisher by at least 20%. Otherwise, the two top vote-getters compete in a runoff.
Powell, 56, is a construction project coordinator for the Arkansas Department of Transportation. He retired as a lieutenant colonel after 33 years with the Air Force and the Arkansas Air National Guard.
He has served on the City Council since 2019. He was a member of the city's Planning Commission from 2011 to 2018.
Powell said last month he has put Springdale first during his current term and would continue that as a priority if he wins another term.
"Springdale is family," Powell said. "It's not about politics. You can't go into it with an agenda. It's what's best for Springdale."
Council members earn $12,000 a year and serve four-year terms. They must live in their wards but are elected at large, meaning all registered voters in the city may vote for each council position.
Powell