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By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune TALENT — Incumbent Darby Ayers-Flood captured the four-year mayoral term, winning 66.48 percent of the votes to 33.35 percent for Ken Baker. “We had a really definite plan that resonated with our community,” said Ayers-Flood. “I feel like the vote is affirmation that this is what our community wants us to do.” Ayers-Flood and City Council candidates Daria Land, Stephanie Dolan, Eleanor Ponomareff and Jason Clark advocated for continuing city involvement in affordable housing, a clean energy action plan, downtown redevelopment and encouragement of local artists. Ayers-Flood, who received 1,862 votes, was elected mayor in 2014. She ran unsuccessfully for the office in 2010 when she lost to Bill Cecil. Ayers-Flood has also served several terms on the City Council. Baker, who garnered 934 votes, was appointed to a City Council vacancy in 2016. Since assuming the seat, Baker frequently has been in the minority on votes and often questioned the direction the city was taking when facing decisions. “In the end I represent, I guess, a third of Talent,” said Baker. “Our leaders need to think that a third of Talent thinks differently than they do and they need to consider them moving forward.” Baker received a total of $3,000 in campaign donations from a state home builders association and a local real estate political action committee. Ayers-Flood limited her campaign expenses to $750, the threshold at which candidates must form a committee and report expenses to the state. Contributions to Baker’s campaign came from local friends in the real estate and building communities, he said. Ayers-Flood questioned what interest the PACs had in Talent apart from buildable lands. Ayers-Flood campaigned for re-election so she could complete the urban renewal agency’s Gateway Project, implement a clean energy action plan and seek affordable housing opportunities. Baker said communication needed to be improved to get people more involved in decisions. He said he’d like to see the city help stimulate possible hotel and restaurant growth. Eleanor Ponomareff defeated David Higgins in the only contested council race in the city for Position 5, with 72.71 percent of the vote to Higgins’ 26.92 percent in early returns. Ponomareff will succeed incumbent Councilor Ryan Pederson, who chose not to run. Ponomareff got 1,769 votes to 655 for Higgins. In races with no opposition, incumbent councilors Daria Land and Stephanie Dolan were elected to positions 1 and 3 respectively, both four-year terms. Jason Clark was unopposed for the two-year Position 6 term. Reach Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at [email protected].