Amador County – Top vote-getter in the Ione City Council race, Ron Smylie, said he is ready to go to work and prove his commitment to the voters.

Smylie said he feels “very comfortable with the vote” because he has “been in Ione for over 50 years,” and his family has been in Ione for over 50 years. He has done a number of things in Ione, including teaching, coaching different levels of youth sports, and running the swimming program, which he ran with Patty Knobelauch in 1972.

Smylie taught elementary school for seven years at Ione, has coached a district championship team, and has been a mentor in Amador County. He thought all of those things added up to help him win this city council race.

Smylie took almost 25 percent of the vote in the six-candidate race for three seats, with 884 total votes. He said he was proud that he was the highest vote-getter, as it “really confirmed my true commitments to them,” the voters, “and it “confirmed that they believe in me.” Smylie said now he needs to prove his commitment to them in his job on the city council.

Smylie said he was not sure when he would be sworn in, but he was told it could take two to four weeks to certify the election. He said he was looking forward to getting prepared for the council.

Smylie’s coaching includes 10 years coaching with the Argonaut High School baseball program, including work as varsity assistant, JV coach and then varsity head coach.

Smylie said: “I grew up in Ione, went through the school system in Ione.” After graduating from University of the Pacific, he came back to teach and coach here. He took a break from teaching, then came back to teach eight years at Preston Youth Facility. He is now in his 10th year at Toyon Middle School in Calaveras School District, teaching children with disabilities.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.