VERGENNES — Once a mayor, now a mayor again. Former Vergennes Mayor Mike Daniels defeated incumbent Mayor Bill Benton by a mere five tallies in Town Meeting Day voting in the Little City.
The Independent received word from the city clerk that Daniels, who served three terms as mayor between 2007 and 2013, defeated Benton, a two-term mayor, by a tally of 265-270.
Daniels, 69, has also served five years in two separate stints on the Vergennes City Council, the second of which ended this past March.
Benton, a real estate appraiser with a history of local volunteerism, said he was seeking one more term because he wants to oversee a number of efforts he believes are about to pay off — including Otter Creek basin projects, city pool upgrades, and work to improve downtown pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Daniels retired in 2013 from a management position with the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services and has since kept busy with a variety of part-time jobs and volunteer projects, including renovation work at City Hall, helping out at the annual Vergennes Youth Fishing Derby, and remaining active in the Vergennes Fire Department.