TRURO - Bill Mills is thrilled to not be going anywhere anytime soon.
Mills, 55, was re-elected as mayor of the Town of Truro on Saturday after a close race with opponent Keltie Jones. Mills received 2,228 votes; Jones earned 1,934.
"I'm happy. I think my longevity as mayor (contributed)" to the re-election said Mills, who waited for the results in the mayor's office on Saturday night. Mills has been mayor for 15 years and has 25 years experience on town council, one of them in Amherst.
He admitted Jones, an associate vice-president for students at the Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture (the former NSAC), gave him a good competition.
"She did extremely well especially since she was running for a municipal (seat) for the first time and skipping councillor and going straight for mayor," Mills said.
"She did a good campaign. She said she was going for my throat and she wasn't kidding."
Mills said he was a little nervous to hear the results and kept busy throughout Saturday as the countdown to the results ticked by.
"You always have doubts," Mills said, adding he believes electronic voting had a big say in the decision.
"(Keltie) got a lot of younger votes, I suspect."
Looking toward the new council term, Mills said there are a few priorities he hopes to deal with immediately.
"We owe it to the citizens to look at the flooding situation. We need to put money aside to look at how to improve water runoff," he said.
Mills also wants to push for solar heating in Truro. He recently met with business people in Austria who have a very successful solar heating system in place.
"We want new revenue and I'm hoping council will support this. It would bring in 75 jobs and be good in the old landfill and expanded business park."
Jones, 46, although disappointed with the results, was proud of her efforts.
"There is disappointment because I think I would've made an excellent mayor," Jones told the Truro Daily News.
"I didn't know what to expect. Some people told me there was no way I could ever come close ... and I proved them wrong. I think there's quite a contingent of people who are pleased with Mr. Mills but a lot who are not."
Jones was happy with the turnout, adding that was one goal she had: to see more people vote.
As for the future, Jones said she's undecided if she will run again. She said many people are "insisting" she try again.
"If there are things I'm still not happy with, I'll think about it."
Election results are not official until Tuesday. Truro town council will swear in its representatives during the next town council meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 5.
mchiasson@trurodaily.com
