During a meeting of the Pinson City Council on Thursday night, Mayor Robbie Roberts read a letter from Councilwoman Glenda Kirkland, announcing that she would be conceding her District 5 seat to her opponent, Noel Holt, to save the city the cost of a run-off election and allow her to spend more time with her family.
As first reported by the Trussville Tribune, the council expressed support and gratitude to Kirkland for her decision. The mayor estimated that the city would save between $10,000 and $15,000 by not holding and managing a runoff election.
The results of the August 26 election, according to CBS42, showed Holt with 282 votes (44.3%), Kirkland with 241 votes (37.8%), and Chris Esquire with 114 votes (17.9%).
According to Roberts, the letter read:
Dear Mayor Robertson and City Clerk Marie Turner,
Please accept this written notice that I hereby withdraw as a candidate for the office of Pinson City Council, place number 5. I made this decision upon consideration of the city's additional expense for holding the runoff election, and also my strong desire to spend more time with my family. I've been blessed to have served as mayor in Inglis, Florida, and as a council member for the city of Pinson, and have always tried to make sure the citizens' money was spent wisely. I'm very thankful for the opportunity, and I wish only the best for the city of Pinson going forward.
Regards Glinda Kirkland
Following the reading of the letter, Kirkland said, “I’ve had a wonderful time. I’ve enjoyed it, but it’s time for me to move on and enjoy myself and my daughter in Florida.”
Noting that her daughter was watching the livestream, she jokingly said, “She’s telling me, I better say this, if I ever step foot in another city hall meeting, she will have me committed. Cause all I have to do is go in one and hear something and it gets going.”
Another councilman suggested that Kirkland could serve on a board or committee, to which her husband, in the back of the room, said, “No,” to lots of laughter.
The council voted to certify Holt as the incoming District 5 councilman.
The video of the meeting is available on Facebook:
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