Campbell, Shanks added to Danville City Council

By Denice Thibodeau

Published: May 6, 2008

Danville voters have decided to add some new faces to City Council and the School Board.

Council newcomers Lawrence “Larry” Campbell Jr. and Fred Shanks won two of the five seats up for election as Millie Dunston earned her first term on the School Board, according to unofficial results.

Only slightly more than 22 percent of Danville’s eligible voters turned up at the polls to vote for the City Council and School Board candidates, local election officials said.

Danville Mayor Sherman Saunders was the top vote-getter in the council election with 4,686 votes, unofficial results indicate. He said the elections are now over, and it’s time “to roll up our sleeves and get back to work.”

Campbell was the second highest vote-getter with 3,667 votes. He said he

continues to be most concerned with high unemployment and its affect on crime rates.

Shanks came in third with 3,272 votes. He sees improvements in education as being a long-term goal, and considers high utility rates, crime and infrastructure as areas that need to be short-term goals.

Councilman David Luther heads into his third term with 3,216 votes. He said the two most important issues council must face are jobs and crime.

Albert “Buddy” Rawley Jr., a former council member, returns to the board with 3,106 votes. He said residents keep telling him crime is the important issue, and that criminals need to know they will be caught and punished.

Cecil Bridgeforth came in sixth with 2,893 votes. He said he would continue to attend council meetings, especially when issues arise that he considers important, such as high unemployment, high crime and high utility costs.

David Robertson, a first-time candidate, garnered 2,177 votes. He said he plans to run again.

On the School Board, incumbents Ed Polhamus, O. Renee Hughes and Malcom Huckabee held on to their seats.

Hughes lead with 3,145 votes; Huckabee came in second with 2,913 votes; and Polhamus garnered 2,629 votes.

Dunston won the fourth seat with 2,050 votes.

She said that as a newcomer, she plans to “listen, observe, learn and be there to help as much as I can.”

However, Dunston does have concerns she hopes are addressed by the board.

“One thing I’m very concerned about is putting the word ‘respect’ back in our vocabulary,” she said. “It doesn’t seem to have a great deal of value anymore.”

Contact Denice Thibodeau at or (434) 791-7985.