Mark Swanger and Kevin Ensley reclaimed seats on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night, a comeback from their defeats in 2006. Meawhile, Mary Ann Enloe narrowly lost her seat after eight years as a commissioner.

As soon as results began rolling in Swanger took the lead and remained there throughout the night. Ensley, however, ran neck-and-neck with Enloe, with the two nervously watching the large computer screen at the board of elections office as results from each of the county’s 29 precincts trickled in.

Enloe was devastated by her loss.

“I knew it would be close but I was not prepared for this,” Enloe said. Enloe has a passion for public office, a role that has defined who she is.

“As my daughter said to me a few years ago ‘Mom, it’s what you do,’” Enloe said. Enloe does not know what she will do with her life now, but said she will not overanalyze the results. A bid for county commissioner in another two years is not out of the question either.

“I am not discounting another run for some political office. It’s what I know how to do,” Enloe said. Enloe at times has been a larger than life public figure, never shy to speak her mind on issues in a frank but gracious style she became known for.

Enloe said her institutional knowledge of county issues will leave a void on the board, as will her passion for helping people.

A big plate

Swanger sees two top issues facing the county: a budget crunch due to the recession and the future of Haywood Regional Medical Center. Haywood Regional Medical Center is moving toward an affiliation with a larger hospital, but any such move ultimately must be approved by the board of commissioners as Haywood Regional is a public hospital.

Swanger said the commissioners need a thorough examination of the issue to make an informed decision rather than a hasty one. Swanger also supports involving the public at every step.

“This is a matter of such importance to Haywood County that openness and transparency in the process is exceedingly important,” Swanger said. “It is the people’s hospital. We need to always keep that in mind.”

Swanger complimented Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick for the work he has dedicated to the issue already as the county’s liaison to the hospital board.

Ensley said he will weigh the opinions of the medical community heavily when making a decision.

As for the budget, Swanger said there will have to be spending cuts, something county leaders are already in the midst of examining. The economic decline means the county will bring in less sales taxes and less property taxes than it had been counting on.

Ensley agreed that budget cuts are imminent.

“We’re going to have to really tighten our belts. There are a lot of really tough decisions that will have to be made,” Ensley said.

A pressing issue for Ensley is the renovation of the historic courthouse, which is dismally behind schedule. The county fired the contractors for the renovation due to sub par work, bringing the project to a screeching halt. The county then rehired the same contractor to finish the job. Ensley, a land surveyor with a knowledge of the construction industry, is prepared to ride herd over the contractors if need be.

“We need someone looking out for the county’s interests and we don’t have that right now,” Ensley said, adding the sitting board was not diligent enough in their oversight of the project.

Who takes chairman

Had Enloe gotten elected, she was poised to become chairman of the board. The five commissioners on the board decide on a chairman amongst themselves, and Enloe had already garnered the necessary support from fellow commissioners.

Instead, Swanger will likely make the bid for chairman, reclaiming a post he had before being voted out two years ago.

“I believe I am the most qualified to serve as chairman,” Swanger said, citing two terms as school board chairman and two as commissioner chairman previously.

Ensley said he would support Swanger for chairman over anyone else.

“I think he has the most experience. Haywood County was better off when he was chairman,” Ensley said.

The old gang of three dissolves

Swanger, Ensley and Enloe found themselves in a strange situation this election by running against each other this fall. The three were allies when serving on the board together between 2004 and 2006. They were so closely aligned, in fact, they were dubbed the “gang of three” by an opposing political camp.

Swanger, Ensley and Enloe earned the distinction after ousting former county manager Jack Horton. The controversial move cost Swanger his seat in the primary election. He became the target of a negative attack campaign by a political action committee formed explicitly to oust him. The group’s biggest gripe was Horton’s ousting, but also took issue with Swanger’s hands-on governing style earning him the label “micro-manager.”

Swanger blamed his narrow loss on a low voter turnout in the 2006 primary: a dismal 16 percent. But Swanger’s return — as the top vote-getter in the 2008 primary and again in the general election — showed he has a strong following when voters come to the polls in larger numbers. In low turnouts, those with gripes can account for a disproportionate number of the voters while those who are content stayed home.

That same year of 2006, Ensley lost in the general election. His loss was mostly due to a Democratic tide. Voters angry over the war and with President Bush wanted to send Democrats to Washington, a trend that played out locally with the election of Heath Shuler to Congress. Ensley paid the price that year as people took out their feelings on all Republicans.

This year, while there was a Democratic tidal wave in much of the nation, Obama and McCain ran neck and neck in Western North Carolina, negating a coat-tails effect that could otherwise give local candidates an edge purely due to their party affiliation.

Ensley garnered support from many Democrats to win.

“Dozens of people said they split their ticket to vote for me and that really means a lot,” Ensley said.

Cookie Callahan, a voter in Waynesville, said Ensley is known for acting in the best interests of the county.

“He’s going to make sure the county continues doing the right thing. He’ll keep them honest,” she said.