Final count confirms Clearfield mayor lost

The count is official. Two-term Clearfield Mayor Tom Waggoner has been voted out of office — a determination made by a mere 18 votes.

Early Tuesday, Clearfield city officials counted provisional and absentee ballots from the Oct. 4 primary election. The results, along with other votes from the election, were certified during a City Council meeting Tuesday night.

Waggoner refused to concede until all votes had been counted. After the primary election, he trailed the closest candidate by 21 votes.

Waggoner could not be reached for comment, but Clearfield City Manager Jack Bippes praised the two-term mayor for his leadership and vision.

"He has taken a city that wasn't moving forward and has provided leadership and moved us out of the past and into the future," Bippes said.

To be successful, the two remaining candidates for mayor will need to provide a vision and direction for the city, Bippes said.

"Where do we want to go?" he asked.

Based on the results of Tuesday's canvass, Dan W. Phelps will face off against Mark R. Shepherd in the November general election. Phelps, a seminary teacher, has never run for elected office. Shepherd has served on the Clearfield Planning Commission the past six years.

Both candidates say they have a tough race ahead of them. Phelps was only 134 votes ahead of Shepherd in the primary election.

"Mark Shepherd is a good man, and he will work as hard as he can to make up the difference," said Phelps. "During the general election, a lot more could come out and vote for him. I'm not going to sit back and let this go by."

If elected, Phelps said he wants to encourage open government. He supports moving the proposed location of the Clearfield commuter rail station if the costs don't exceed the benefits.

Shepherd said he plans an aggressive campaign against Phelps.

"I have a big challenge coming up," he said.

If elected, Shepherd said he wants to continue plans to clean up Clearfield's image. He said the commuter rail station should remain where it is planned to be located.

"That's a wonderful site to develop," Shepherd said. "There is potential for business to locate there."

As for Waggoner's loss, both candidates said Clearfield was ready for change.

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