Graves, filing the unexpired term when Tom Callahan resigned earlier this year, was the top vote-getter among the six candidates with 2,565 votes, according to results. He was followed by McElfresh (2,440), Funk (2,209), Hagedorn (2,179), Candice Smith-Bowling (1,602) and Randy Smith (1,385).
When council meets for the first time in 2024, members will decide who will serve two-year terms as mayor and vice mayor.
The Monroe council has seven members and Dr. Kelly Clark, Ben Wagner and John Centers, who is filling the unexpired term of Marc Bellapianta, were not up for re-election. Their terms end on Dec. 31, 2025.
Graves said he was “very overwhelmed and humbled” to receive the most votes.
“It blew me away and it still does,” he said.
When Graves was appointed by council earlier this year, he was undecided whether he would run in November. It was important, he said, that serving on council was “the right fit for me and the city.”
Now he’s looking forward to continue that relationship for the next four years.
McElfresh said the three incumbents getting re-elected shows that residents “want us to continue to do what we are doing.”
She said council has some “big things on our plate,” including hiring a city manager to replace William “Bill” Brock, who resigned after 20 years to accept a position with the engineering firm CT Consultants in Blue Ash, and determining how the city reacts to Issue 2 passing that legalizes recreational marijuana.
When asked about having consistency on council, McElfresh, who is completing her sixth year, said: “It’s not a good time to switch it all up.”
Credit: Vincent Rush
Credit: Vincent Rush
Funk, completing his eighth year on council, said “times are good” in the city and council needs to continue making decisions that meet residents’ expectations.
“We have to maintain everything residents are accustomed to,” he said. “Keep that quality of life.”
Hagedorn expects to ask a lot of questions his first few months on council since he’s the “new guy,” he said.
“I want us to come together and work as a team,” he said.
When asked why he decided to run, Hagedorn he was tired of being “a Monday morning quarterback and complaining.”
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