CLAYTON 鈥 The general election brought only one new member to the 狐狸视频 County Council.
And he represents a swing vote.
Republican Dennis Hancock soundly beat his opponents Tuesday in the county鈥檚 south-central district. He will soon be the seventh member of a council that often splits 3-3, especially when considering priorities of newly reelected County Executive Sam Page.
Hancock promised on Wednesday to work with all parties. But not to always agree.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 expect to agree with everybody on everything,鈥 Hancock said the morning after his win.
Hancock, the 69-year-old former mayor of Fenton, defeated Democrat Vicki Lorenz Englund 51% to 47% in District 3, which includes Fenton, Manchester, and Town and Country.
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When he takes his seat in January, Hancock will replace Republican Councilman Tim Fitch, perhaps Page鈥檚 staunchest opponent on the council. Fitch frequently teamed up with a bipartisan majority that has opposed Page on political appointments, federal pandemic relief spending, public health orders and other efforts since the county executive was appointed in 2019.
Hancock said he sees himself stepping into Fitch鈥檚 role as a proponent for limiting the county鈥檚 role in residents鈥 lives and for focusing on public safety. But he isn鈥檛 sure what his relationship with Page will be like yet.
鈥淲e have to work together for the next four years, and if you鈥檙e somebody who doesn鈥檛 want to compromise or at least have a discussion about where we鈥檙e approaching issues from, that鈥檚 going to be a long four years for both of us,鈥 said Hancock, who works as a facilities management executive at commercial real estate services firm Cushman and Wakefield.
But Page, at a news conference on Wednesday, called Hancock a 鈥渧ery different person鈥 than Fitch, and said he expects to work well with Hancock.
On Tuesday, Page said he hoped to quash squabbles with Democrat councilwomen Shalonda Webb and Rita Heard Days, the council鈥檚 chair. 鈥淔or my part, I can say the campaign battles are all finished and any punches thrown, forgiven,鈥 Page told supporters at his watch party.
A truce with Days, Webb or both could pave the way for Page to achieve some of his policy goals, as could a friendly council chair, who has power over committee assignments and bill progress. The council votes on its chair at its first meeting in the new year.
Who is Dennis Hancock?
Hancock grew up on a family farm in St. Charles County and graduated from St. Dominic High School in O鈥橣allon. His father died when he was 18 years old, forcing him to 鈥済row up fast.鈥
He went on to obtain two degrees in business.
Hancock said he was always interested in politics, but didn鈥檛 run for office until his 1999 campaign to become mayor of Fenton. He lost, ran again in 2001 and won. He served until 2013, when he decided it was 鈥渢ime to turn it over.鈥
Hancock counts economic development and budget balancing among his achievements as mayor. He helped renegotiate contracts that led to the development of Gravois Bluffs, a big-box store shopping plaza. He helped secure funding to replace the Old Gravois Road Bridge across the Meramec River. And when Fenton鈥檚 Chrysler assembly plant closed in 2009, Hancock said he worked with city officials to cut down the budget.
Hancock said he looks forward to getting back into local government, this time working on the county鈥檚 legislative body.
鈥淭his is what I enjoy doing,鈥 Hancock said.
Catch up on results of the Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, elections in the 狐狸视频 area.